


The Conundrum of How a Star Works

by hope170



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Esme knows he's an asshole, F/M, Gen, Just a lot of emotions, Prime has no idea what's going on, Probably ooc, Slow Burn, Some Medical Stuff, but he's an asshole that's willing to change, he's just going with it, healthy relationship, not like ive ever been in a relationship, or at least an attempt to write a healthy relationship, political romance, so it's cool
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:48:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 40,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28151880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hope170/pseuds/hope170
Summary: "In the distance she could hear more footsteps approaching, some much louder and metallic. The metal men must be coming. She hissed again. What was she too do? She thought it over, frantically looking between the creature in her grasp, back to her village, and towards the sound of the approaching footsteps. She felt an intense fear, but not for herself. These creatures had shown nothing but aggression towards her people. What would they do if they found the village? What would happen to the planet if this Horde Prime got what he wanted from them, or worse, if he didn't?Her ears pinned to the back of her head as she growled in frustration. She eased the pressure from his head and he spit the dirt out of his mouth.“Listen close.” She hissed in his ear. “You will take me to Horde Prime. Now.”'(Still working on the title, was To Save a Planet, but that's not really a good title based on the story itself.)
Relationships: Horde Prime (She-Ra)/Original Character(s), Horde Prime/OC
Comments: 15
Kudos: 14





	1. The Tower

Everything was burning. 

The flames reached high into the sky, the smoke blocking out any sign of light. There were screams and crying from every direction, though only one figure could be seen amongst the blaze. Esme dashed through the remnants of her home on all fours, trying desperately to escape only to be met with flames at every turn. The screaming only grew louder. Tears streamed freely down her face as the panic only grew and a sense of helplessness took over. 

She turned another corner only to freeze in her tracks. There was another figure there, looming over her. He was like the smoke himself, shimmering and faltering in his form. The only constant was his green eyes, searing into her as harsh as any flame, emotionless and blank.

She tried to back away only to be met with more flames. They had surrounded her now, the heat beating at her from all sides. But that heat was nothing compared to his gaze. She cowered beneath it, tail curling around her hind legs as she hugged her knees, filled with nothing but fear as she stared up at the figure. Slowly, far too slowly, he raised his smoke-like hand and reached out to her. She felt like her heart was going to burst!

That was when she woke up, shooting up in her nest with a gasp, frantically searching the corners of her home for any sign of the figure. It took a few moments for her to calm down and realize it was nothing but a dream. She took a deep breath, letting the air out slowly as her body relaxed. 

A few moments later she brought herself to shuffle out of her nest to get ready for the day. Her home was a little thing with walls made out of large leaves and a twig roof. The morning sunlight shone through the leaf walls, giving everything a slightly green tint. All she had in the tiny hut was her nest, a pile of soft fabric she had put together to suit her needs, and a bag hanging from one of the roof twigs, filled with everything she needed. She stretched and grabbed that bag, shoving aside the large leaf that served as a door and heading out for the day.

Outside the door was her home, a small village surrounded by the high trees of their forest. There were huts like hers everywhere, both on the ground and in the trees, and wandering amongst those huts were her people. They were all fairly similar, humanoid with digitigrade legs ending in flexible toes that made it possible to climb the trees as easily as walking on the ground, long tails ending in tufts of fur slightly darker than the coat covering the rest of their body, and large ears. They were all varying shades of colors, from grays to browns to reds. The hair on the top of their head was also quite different between each individual, often times darker than their coat and tied up in one way or another. 

Esme didn’t let herself stand there long. She was on gathering duty today and needed to meet with the rest of the group. The sooner they had gathered and planned things out, the more time they would have to forage before it got dark.

She nimbly climbed down from her tree, only gave a wave or short greeting to the people she passed. It was rather normal to talk amongst each other often, but she was in a hurry. Finally, after dashing through the village and only getting slightly distracted on the way, she reached the meeting spot. It wasn’t much different from anywhere else on the edge of the village, this spot just happened to have a tree with an odd branch. It was perfectly shaped for sitting.

She was glad to see that there were others there already. Tilly was there, already hogging the branch because of course she would, as well as Harod and Quintin. They greeted her when she got there with happy little chirps and caught her up with their conversation. They were debating whether or not they wanted to join the exodus this year.

“I don’t know.” Quintin said with a sigh, pushing stray strands of golden brown hair out of his face. His hair was never as neat as everyone else, held up in a messy knot. “I’m not sure I’m ready to find someone yet.”

“Yeah, but are you really willing to wait another five years?” Tilly asked from her branch, tail swinging idly. “I know I’m going. I can already imagine it!” She gave a dreamy sigh. “I’m dancing around the fire of some village and I’ll meet eyes with him and we know in an instant that we’re perfect for each other! He’ll be so handsome.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll be going to. I’ve missed out on enough exodus’ as is.” said Harod. He was older than them by quite a bit and had already missed out on the last two, so it only really made sense. If he waited too much longer he would be too old to join. “I just want to settle down now.”

“What about you, Es?” Quintin asked, shoving your shoulder lightly. “You coming with us?”

She sighed, thinking over for a moment. She knew she probably should. She was around the right age to find her mate and she knew she wanted one. And she couldn’t wait to get out of the village and just see more of the world! She just wasn’t quite sure she was ready just yet to make that sort of commitment. 

Luckily, she was saved from answering when an energetic ball of ginger fur bowled into the group. Esme and Quintin were fast enough to dodge, but poor Harod was knocked on his tail! The group burst into laughter at the sight. At the very least the girl who had caused the chaos looked apologetic.

“Sorry, Harod.” She mumbled, doing her best to help the older man back to his feet. The gesture was appreciated, but as she was just a small child it only helped so much. He shook his head.

“You must be more careful, Gigi, or you’ll get someone hurt.”

The girl’s ears drooped and she looked to the ground guiltily.

“Yessir …” 

“There, now we’re all here.” Said Tasha as she approached the group, much slower than her daughter had a moment ago. “Let’s get going.”

Harod split them up into groups and off they went, their only goal to fill their bags as much as possible. Esme had volunteered to take Gigi with her. She was the fastest out of the adults and knew she could keep up with the bundle of energy better than them. Tasha gave her a grateful look when they went their separate ways and she gave a chirrup in response.

They traveled far that day, checking all the usual spots. There was plenty of fruit today, but the berries had started going out of season so there weren't many of those left. Esme showed Gigi what mushrooms were safe for them to collect and which ones to avoid, as well as what plants had edible roots. They even found some nuts to snack on when they got hungry. Overall, they were doing pretty good.

It was just after midday when they stopped for another break. Gigi wanted to climb a tree so that’s what they did. The tree she picked was one of the largest ones in the area, easily reaching above the canopy. And of course, Gigi was insisting they climb to the very top. Esme grumbled as she followed close on the girl’s heels. This wasn’t much of a break, was it? How could such a tiny creature be filled with so much energy all the time? At the very least she guessed she could use their advantage to see if there were any other fruit trees nearby.

Finally, they reached the top of the tree and could rest. It was a stunning view. The canopy of the forest stretched far beyond them, reaching to the far horizon. They had only to turn their heads to the side to see the line of blue in the distance that was the ocean, sparkling in the sunlight. She had never been to the ocean herself, but had heard plenty of stories about those who had visited during their exodus. Yes, it was all quite striking, a sight she felt blessed to be able to see so often.

Save for the newest addition to their forest. 

The tower stood out like the rot on a leaf, taller than the tallest tree, all sharp edges and unnatural curves. There was an odd beauty to those harsh angles, but not one she could appreciate as it clashed so heavily with the nature around it.

It had come from the sky almost a week ago. Now, it wasn’t the first time they had seen such alien things come from the sky. They had had visitors from other planets before, landing in their forests with their ships, but they never stayed long, and never had they come with anything quite as large as the tower. And those that surrounded the tower were not nearly as friendly as the visitors had been. Anyone who had gone to investigate had only come back with stories of metal men attacking them with blasts of light that burned like fire. 

Just looking at it too long made her feel uneasy, a feeling of dread forming deep in the pit of her stomach.

“Come on, Gigi, let’s get back to work. We still have plenty of room in our bags!” Esme said with a smile, managing to keep her voice light. The girl was more than eager to get back to work, chatting all afternoon about collecting more than her mother and how proud she’ll be. To be fair, they did manage to collect quite a bit that day and their bags were easily filled. When they returned everyone was quite pleased with the day's work.

But an odd feeling stuck with Esme through the rest of the day. It wasn’t the dread she felt when viewing the tower, no, it was something else she couldn’t quite place. It felt like a stone had stuck itself in her chest.

It was dark when she decided a walk might help. Most of the village had gone to sleep by then, just a few of the older folk telling stories around the fires. They only nodded as she passed.

It wasn’t long before she was blanketed by the sounds of the forest at night. The night birds' songs rang out, the brush rustled with creatures, and the mushrooms clinging to the trees glowed a pale blue and green. It was serene and as she walked she could feel herself relax and the stone in her chest lightened slightly as all her thoughts faded away. She enjoyed her walks immensely. It was nice to not have to think about anything for a while.

She heard one of the birds sing out from a tree nearby. It was a small black thing, staring at her from its branch. She smirked and twittered back, copying its own call. It cocked its head to the side before repeating its song, and she did the same. She giggled as the bird looked at her a moment before fluttering away. 

She decided she had walked far enough, but wasn’t quite ready to head home just yet, so she climbed a nearby tree, finding a good branch and settling down, leaning back against the trunk and closing her eyes. She hummed as she listened to the sounds surrounding her. Then, after a while, she found herself singing, the notes melding well with the night sounds. It was a lullaby her mother had sang to her time and time again when she was just a kit. 

For a moment, she felt complete peace wash over her.

But then the song ended and the forest was quiet. Not even the birds were singing.

She was instantly alert, hopping silently to her feet on the branch, crouching low to hide amongst the leaves on instinct, eyes scanning the woods for any movement. At first there was nothing, but then she heard the footsteps a distance off. Her ears twitched at the sound as it got closer and closer until she could see the figure like a light in the dark. They were dressed almost entirely in white save for the black boots and tights and the strange symbol on their chest. Even their face was white, reminding her of a skull. But what really set her fur on end was the acidic green eyes. They were so similar to the figure in her dream. The dream she had often since that tower had landed in their forest. Was this stranger the one who put it there?

She glared at them, ears pinned back. She wondered what she should do with them. She could leave them be she supposed, or she could confront them, ask them what they were doing on their planet, why they were attacking those who got near the tower. It didn’t look like any of the metal men the others had spoken of were there, just the one figure. She could take him on. It would be so easy.

She watched from the dark as the figure drew ever closer, waiting patiently for the right moment. 

The creature was moving slowly, their brows furrowed in a look of slight confusion. Perhaps they had heard her singing. She knew her voice could carry in the right circumstance. Maybe he had heard her from a ways off and had been looking for the source of the music. How confused he must be, then, to reach the source only to find nothing. 

She wondered just how good their night vision was. Would hiding in the dark enough or would she need the cover of the foliage? She decided to play it safe. Silently, she slunk from branch to branch, inching closer to her target.

Her species were not predators. They did not hunt, only eating the plant life they could gather from their surroundings. She had no claws, no fangs, no weapons on her body. But she knew how to be quiet, how to hide and move without making a sound. They didn’t even know she was there until she was on them, leaping off her branch and landing squarely on their back. She could feel the air leave their lungs as she landed with a huff, stunned. She noted immediately that they were larger than her but, as they caught their breath and struggled, were not much stronger. That still meant it was quite the struggle as they tried desperately to pry themself out from beneath her. She fought back, adjusting herself so that she could grab their wrists and pin them in one hand. Her tail wrapped around their legs to keep them from flailing any longer. 

Her grip was strong and the creature had no chance of escaping. She waited as they tired themself out and finally gave in, their body stilling beneath her. Both were panting from the struggle, a satisfied smirk on Esme’s face.

“Are you quite finished?” She asked with a hiss. After a moment the creature nodded, doing their best to glare at her from their position. Even without pupils she could feel their eyes on her. She nodded. “Good, then you can answer my questions.”

The creature let out a hiss of their own.

“My brothers will be coming for me soon.” He said, a growl in his voice.

“Then we’d better make this quick. Why are you here? On this planet?”

He fidgeted in her grasp, letting out a dark chuckle. 

“We are here to bring you into the light! Your planet and all it has to offer will be used to further Horde Prime’s empire, to shine his light to the farthest reaches to the galaxy until all shadows are burned away! All will be perfection!”

She scoffed.

“Sounds like the ramblings of a madman. We’re doing just fine, thank you very much. You can take your tower and your metal men and leave us and our home alone.”

“It’s only natural that some will struggle.” He said. “Horde Prime’s light can blind those unaccustomed to it. Those cannot be cleansed will be burned away. All will be made perfect in his light! All will be consumed by it, one way or another, even if it must be purged in flames! He - mmf!”

She shoved his face into the dirt, silencing his ramblings. She needed to think, to decipher what this creature was saying. So the tower was from this Horde Prime, that’s who these visitors served? And he wants to use their planet to expand some empire of his? She growled.

“What does he want from our planet? Resources? Land? Does he plan on enslaving us?”

She was only met with more chuckles. In the distance she could hear more footsteps approaching, some much louder and metallic. The metal men must be coming. She hissed again. What was she too do? She thought it over, frantically looking between the creature in her grasp, back to her village, and towards the sound of the approaching footsteps. She felt an intense fear, but not for herself. These creatures had shown nothing but aggression towards her people. What would they do if they found the village? What would happen to the planet if this Horde Prime got what he wanted from them, or worse, if he didn't?

Her ears pinned to the back of her head as she growled in frustration. She eased the pressure from his head and he spit the dirt out of his mouth. 

“Listen close.” She hissed in his ear. “You will take me to Horde Prime. Now.”

He laughed at her.

“You truly think some low-life scum has any chance of being brought before our perfect Lord?” 

“I’m determined.” 

She smirked as the footsteps finally reached them and she saw more creatures just like the one she had attacked, each one identical to the other, and what had to be the metal men. They were like the tower, all angles and unnatural points. Their arms were raised and pointed at her, something deep inside glowing, no doubt about to shoot their glowing balls of fire at her. 

She narrowed her eyes at them before slowly letting the creature go and backing off a few steps, hand raised above her head. She snickered as he scrambled to his feet, the only real damage being the dirt that covered his dress and shawl and his ruffled hair. He glared at her and walked over to the group as if nothing had happened.

For a moment, nothing happened, just tense silence.

“I want to see Horde Prime.” She said again, keeping her voice steady and her head held high. “If he wants to take our planet, fine. I can help him get my people on his side. Just let me talk to him.”

The group of creatures, only four of them including the now dirty and disheveled one, looked between each other, faces unreadable. The dirty one smirked at her.

“We have no reason to bring you with us! As if Lord Prime has time for such a small creature as yourself. You’re nothing to him!” 

Esme rolled her eyes. She had expected him to go on, but he stopped suddenly, eyes going wide before he carefully schooled his face into a blank look. One of the others stepped past him, giving him a side glance before turning to her.

“Lord Prime wishes to speak to you.”

The metal men moved until they were standing behind her, urging her forward. She complied, smirking at the dirty creature. He scowled, but only for a moment before his face went carefully blank once more.


	2. Speaking with the Emperor

It was only when Esme looked out that expanse of glass before her did she truly come to realize she was no longer on the planet. 

The creatures’ way of travel had been odd. She was taken to the tower, as she had assumed they would do, but then she had been taken to a room and there had been a flash of green light on all sides. Then they were simply somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away from her home. There was no planet beyond the glass, no familiar moon or sun, just an endless sea of stars swaddled in darkness. 

Esme was not allowed more than that moment to take the scene in. She was not allowed the time to stop for she was to meet Horde Prime. So they marched on through the endless white halls, each as identical to the last.

The throne room was cavernous, so vast that the edges faded to shadow, beyond the blinding light’s reach. There was the path before her and beyond that a raised dias where he sat. 

This must be Horde Prime.

He was truly an impressive figure even while sitting. There were many similarities to the creatures, enough for her to realize that they must be the same species, but he was not identical to them. She could tell he was larger, grander. There was the glint of metal that came off him, from the metal caps on his ears, from the silvery claws covering his pointer fingers, from the cables that fell like hair around him, from the silver in his very clothing. He was a mix of natural and unnatural, of creature and metal. And yet this mix was not what had made the fur on the back of her neck bristle up.

It was his eyes. Three on one side, one on the other, all trained on her, all glowing an acidic green. They were familiar, like the ones from her nightmare. Her eyes narrowed. 

She could not trust that gaze.

“My, my, look at what we have.” His voice rumbled out, the smirk on his face cold and demeaning. He had an air about him, like everything was beneath him and he only saw her as some sort of amusement. 

With one smooth movement he stood up from his throne, slow steps bringing him closer to her as he spoke.

“How blessed you are, to be granted an audience with the Emperor of the Known Universe. Tell me child, what is it you seek from me?” 

He stopped inches from her, forcing her to tilt her head back to keep the eye contact. He loomed over her but she would not shrink away. Instead, she stood up a little straighter, held her head higher, and stared right back.

“At this moment? Answers.” 

“Oh?” His smirk grew a bit wider. “Is that so?”

“I can not help you if I’m unaware of what you want.” 

That seemed to shock him at least a bit. His smirk fell slightly before an amused smile took its place.

“You wish to help me? Isn’t this a treat.” He all but purred. “So rarely does a planet come into my light willingly. Tell me, child, do the rest of your people share your sentiment? Do they, to, wish only to serve me.”

“They will not serve you.” She almost snapped but caught herself just in time. “But they would be more than willing to help. I know my people. They are kind and our planet has more than enough resources.”

As she spoke Horde Prime began circling around her, pace careful and measured, like a predator circling its prey. 

“And what resources would that be?”

She got the feeling he was toying with her. She suppressed an aggravated noise, the sound getting stuck in her throat. 

“Something tells me you already know what you want from us. For simplicity's sake, just tell me what it is.”

He stopped in front of her once more, though not quite as close this time. There was a look in his eyes, one she couldn’t quite decipher as he stared intently at her face, into her eyes. It felt like he could stare right into her soul if he wanted to. It was only a beat of silence, but there was so much there she couldn’t understand but felt none the less. Finally, he blinked, breaking whatever spell had come over them.

“My Empire is vast.” He stated. “Only those of use can remain in my light. The rest are simply burned away. But those who do remain in my light have needs that must be met.”

He stepped to the side, standing beside her as he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the ornate glass screen she had hardly noticed behind the throne burst to life in an array of colors. Images flashed, each section holding something new. She recognized them as her home. There was the village, there was the ocean, the forest, the tower, the other villagers, more towers. The whole planet was flashing on the screens, all laid out before them. Her eyes grew wide at the display, the slightest of gasps leaving her lips. She didn’t notice Horde Prime’s smirk at the sound.  
With a wave of his hand the images changed, focusing in on the many forests and woods.

“Your planet is rich with plant life, my dear.” She heard his voice from next to her. “And an Empire still needs to be fed.” She pried her eyes away from the screen and brought them back to him. She nodded.

He wanted food. Her planet could supply food. And as long as they remained useful, they would not be burned away. She felt herself lighten at the news. There was hope after all. 

“Then we will supply the empire with what we can give.” She said, words coming out slow and careful as she thought it through. “We cannot collect everything ourselves. We are limited in numbers. But we have knowledge. We know where every fruit tree, berry bush, root, nut, and mushroom are on the planet. We know how to collect it all without ruining it and how to cultivate the plants to grow stronger and bear more fruit.” Her eyes turned back to the screen and she motioned towards them. “If you wish to get the most out of this planet, you will need my people’s help.”

Horde Prime remained thoughtful as she spoke and silent when she finished. Her heart thundered in her chest as she waited with baited breath. In this moment she knew he could still deem her and her people useless and toss them aside like so much rotten fruit. She would not see her people destroyed. Not if she could help it.

“How fascinating.” He murmured almost too quiet for her to hear, all four eyes trained on her. “This is certainly not what I would expect from such a primitive planet.” 

She continued waiting ever so patiently, meeting his stare head on, acting as if she hadn’t heard him. Finally, that infuriating smirk returned to his face and his eyes left her.

“Very well.” He said as he approached his throne. “I will spare your people. That is what you want to hear, isn’t it?” He sat, crossing his legs and looking down at her. “Why don’t we continue this discussion later over a meal, hmm? Until then, go get your beauty rest. My brothers will take care of any needs you may have and see to it that you are dressed properly for the occasion.”

At his words Esme was flanked on either side by his so-called ‘brothers’. She knew a dismissal when she heard it. She bowed before letting the clones lead her out of the room and back into the endless halls

Horde Prime watched her as she left, smirk fading once her back was turned. His claws clicked against the armrest, the sound echoing through the room.

==

Esme woke up with a sleepy chirrup, shifting in her nest until she could peer out through a gap in the blankets. Beyond was the face of one of those creatures, staring at her with his blank green eyes, hand falling back to his side. He must have shaken her awake.

“Forgive me, Ambassador, but it is time to get ready.”

She hummed in acknowledgment, shuffling deeper into her nest for a moment to soak in the warmth before facing the cold of the day in front of her. It only took an instant for her mind to catch up with the events of the nice prior and she knew she was in for a very long day. After her moment she sighed and shoved the blankets aside.

There were two ‘brothers’ in the room, looking at her expectantly, so she shoved her way out of her nest. She scowled at the cold floor below her feet.

“Alright then, let’s get going.”

The moment she had left her nest she was ushered away into another room, thankfully not far away. The moment the door was open she was hit with a wave of warm, humid air. The room beyond was just as stark white as everything else here, the largest thing of not being the slightly steaming pool in the middle. Ah, so she had to wash up properly. That made sense, she supposed. One shouldn’t be dirty when they had a proper audience with someone as important as the emperor.

She was led off to the side where there was a stool set in front of a large mirror. She scowled at the image of herself that was reflected back at her. 

They did not have many mirrors at her village, but that didn’t mean she had never seen her reflection before. She had seen herself in pools and the lake before, but it was never all that clear, the water rippled too much. But here, in the bright light and with the large mirror before her, she could see every detail. 

Esme’s black hair was quite the mess from her sleep, the usually wavy curls matted into a mass on her head. She did not look forward to brushing it out. Thankfully, her coat wasn’t nearly as bad. Unlike others in her tribe, her own tawny fur wasn’t long enough to get knotted up. Mostly, though, she was taken by her eyes. She had never been able to distinguish what colors her eyes had been before. Others just told her they were brown and left it at that. Now that she was looking at them she could tell they were, indeed, brown, a very dark chocolate brown. 

She turned away from the mirror after only a moment and got undressed, facing away from her two attendants as she did so. True, back home she would often bath with others, but those were people she knew, not complete strangers. So, naturally, she was just a bit hesitant.

Once she had undressed she folded her clothes and handed them to the waiting hands, but before he could she grabbed his wrist.  
“Please make sure you don’t throw those away or damage them. My mother made them and I’d hate to lose them.”

“Yes, ambassador.” He nodded and went on his way. She narrowed her eyes at his retreating back before she was ushered towards the pool.

She stepped into the water with a pleased sigh. The water was so warm and smelled very pleasant. She happily sank into the warmth, the water reaching her chin. As she soaked her attendant worked on her hair, washing it and combing out the knots with practiced hands.

“Do you do this sort of thing very often.” She asked, eyes sliding closed as she enjoyed the feeling of the warmth and the brushing of her hair. 

“I do whatever Lord Prime wishes of me.” He said. “Which, yes, oftentimes means I care for his guests, when he has them.”

“Does he have guests often.”

He hummed. “No, not often.”

“Mmm, don’t I feel special.” She smirked, a purr building in her chest. 

“Yes, you are very blessed to be brought into Lord Prime’s light.”

Esme chose to ignore that statement. She had plenty of other things she could ponder, such as the topic for her meeting with the emperor. She wondered if it was better to plan out how exactly the resources would be harvested and collected or how she was to get in contact with all the villages to inform them. She decided it made more sense that she would be communicating with her people instead of figuring the process out. That would be simple enough, especially if she had assistance with being transported to each major village. Then the major villages could go to the smaller ones. She was positive they would have little to no objections. It really would be simple.

It was, in her opinion, far too soon when she had to leave the warmth of the bath and dry off. She was then taken to a side room where, apparently, one got dressed. She didn’t quite understand why they needed an entire separate room just for getting dress, but no matter. 

There was another ‘brother’ waiting for them there. She couldn’t tell if it was the same one as before or a different one. She wondered if it ultimately mattered. They all looked identical after all, did that mean they all had the same personalities, too? Was that possible? It seemed like the only way to properly find that out was to spend more time around them and she wasn’t sure if that would even be possible. Surely once all this was sorted out she would just return home and probably not see any of them again.

She was dressed in white, of course. Everything was white. The only color in the place was that shade of acidic green. She was grateful her outfit had none of that green in it. It was quite a beautiful dress, too, with a thin flowing skirt that was shorter in the front than the back and flowed around her whenever she moved. There were black tights underneath the skirts and a black sash around her middle. The top had a round neckline that didn’t dip too low and the sleeves were long and flowed just as the skirt did. The outfit forced her to keep her tail close to her body, but she supposed that would be okay. She had no reason to use it in these circumstances. It wasn’t like there would be many trees she would need to climb here and she certainly hoped she wouldn’t be fighting anybody. 

Her attendants wanted to put her hair up but Esme insisted it stay down. Her hair had never been so beautiful before! She didn’t know what they had used on it but it felt so silky soft and it shined under the bright light with the most perfect waves. It would be a shame to put it up and hide it away like that. 

They accepted her decision with a nod and finally led her away to meet with Horde Prime. She did her best to hold herself properly. Her father had once told her that the best way to go about holding yourself in front of anyone important was to make sure you stood straight, held your head high, and thought of yourself like some sort of goddess like from the old stories, so that is what she did. It wasn’t hard, considering how she felt in that moment, all clean, smelling amazing, and dressed in the best outfit she had ever worn. She would have to remember this feeling when she returned home. If she was to ever meet with such people again, it would not be in this sort of finery but her own clothes. The only way to look the part then would be entirely on how she held herself and behaved. Now that she had forced herself into this mess she needed to make sure she wouldn’t fail.

The dining room was, of course, extravagant, with high ceilings and sections of the wall that looked like space itself, black with so many glittering stars. In the middle of the room was the long table, decorated with what she guessed to be the finest of dishes. She doubted Horde Prime would settle for less. The man himself was sitting at the end of the table, his acidic green eyes on her the moment they entered. Behind him was the screens, much like the ones in the throne room, though not quite as large or extravagant.

“Ah, there she is!” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Now you truly look the part of Ambassador. Please,” He motioned to the chair at the end of the table closest to Esme. “Have a seat.”

She gave a nod, doing as directed. One of her attendants pulled the chair out for her and she gave a quiet thank you as she was pushed in.

“I trusted you slept well.” Prime stated, not so much a question. She had the feeling he already knew exactly how well she slept. One of her attendants must have told him. 

He must have given some sort of unseen command as the ‘brothers’ brought out the food.

“Yes, I slept very well, thank you. The bed was comfortable and I quite enjoy this outfit. It’s lovely.”

He had that smirk on his face again. She tried not to scowl.

A bowl was set in front of her. It looked like a variety of fruit had been chopped up and mixed together with a few berries thrown in for good measure. She decided that would do just fine. Other foods were set out on the table, other fruits, breads, and things she could not identify. She wasn’t sure who all this food was for. She couldn’t imagine two people could eat it all. 

“But of course! You are my guest, after all, and I treat my guests well.”

“Yes, that much is clear.” She replied before realizing what she had said. Oh gods, was she just sarcastic with the emperor? Perhaps it wasn’t too noticeable. It could have been a genuine compliment, right? Maybe she hadn’t seen the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. Maybe she was just seeing things. She managed to keep her face carefully blank, hiding the panic bubbling just below the surface. 

“Now, I suppose we should get to business, shouldn’t we?” 

That much she could handle. He described the process as she slowly ate her food. Dear gods, could he talk, going on and on about every little detail, details she definitely didn’t need to know. It didn’t affect them where the food went or what was done to it. And yet he spent a good fifteen minutes describing just that. She suppressed a sigh and waited for some sort of pause in his speech to interrupt him without seeming too terribly rude.

“This is all truly very fascinating, but I believe it would be more relevant to discuss your plans for gathering and how it involves my people.”

“Ah, yes, I suppose we should get to that.” he said with an amused chuckle, placing his elbows on the table, his hands forming a steeple in front of him. “It is your people who know how to, as you said, gather and cultivate. My plan is to place a station in each of your largest villages to oversee the collection but ultimately it’s up to your people how they go about gathering.”

Esme hummed thoughtfully, mind already working on the logistics. Each village would have a different way of gathering the fruit in their region. 

“I believe it would be best for the chiefs to decide that. They would best know what’s in season and how best to collect. If you provided the man power, they could lead the groups. I know if I could just speak with the chief’s we could arrange it all easily.”

“Well aren’t you confident.” he hummed, a metal-clad finger tipping on the table. She wasn’t quite sure she liked the way his eyes burned as he stared at her. She couldn’t tell what that emotion was simmering in their depths. She shrugs.

“I know my people and the process isn’t exactly complicated. It’s a simple matter of collecting the food, sending it to your stations and having your people send it off to wherever you need it. I understand there are more steps in that process, but that is the general overview isn’t it?”

“You would be correct.” A hand comes up to his face, resting against his cheek ever so dignified. At the very least his smirk wasn’t condescending any more. “It seems you understand the logistics well enough.”

She tried not to look too pleased with herself. She doubted being proud would help her. 

“In which case, I should get to work discussing matters with the chiefs as soon as possible. If you provide some form of transportation then it should only take a day or two. Just tell me which villages you wish to put the stations in and I can determine how long this will take.”

He raised a brow as she spoke but nodded. With a wave of his hand one of the brothers walked to her, carrying something in his hands. It looked to be something similar to the screens but much smaller. The brother turned it on and she was presented with a map of the planet. Red dots were scattered about the planet, lining up with where she knew some of their largest villages were. There weren’t as many as she had expected but all the major ones were there. She thought it over a bit before nodding. This was good! 

“This will be much easier than I expected!” She shared, not quite able to keep a slight smile of her face. “The chiefs of these villagers in particular gather once a year during the exodus to discuss different matters. This meeting starts in only a few days. If it is okay with you, Emperor, we can simply wait until then and convince them all at once.”

“Ah, how convenient!” Prime said, clearly pleased with this turn of events. “That sounds like an excellent plan, my dear. We will do as you say and inform your chief’s once this meeting has begun.” 

Esme relaxed her seat, letting out a delighted chirp. It was an immense relief to have some sort of plan going into this. She had been worried that he wouldn’t accept any of her ideas. Instead, it looked like things would work out for her people. She didn’t want to completely relax, not yet. Things could still turn wrong in an instant if she wasn’t careful.

“Since we have the time.” She heard Prime say, interrupting her thoughts. “Perhaps you would let me tempt you with a tour of sorts. I can’t imagine you have traveled much on such a primitive planet. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to see what other planets have to offer?” 

She tilted her head slightly, instantly struck with an overwhelming sense of curiosity. She tried to imagine what these other planets could be like and what Prime could possibly have to give her some insight. However, was it worth it? Prime didn’t seem the type to simply give without it benefiting him in some way. His very presence still put her on edge. 

In the end, her curiosity won out.

“Well, I would be a fool to deny such a generous offer.” She offered with a polite smile, hoping he couldn’t hear her purring. It was incredibly quiet after all. She could once more pretend she didn’t notice the way his ear twitch and his smirk grew. 

In a moment he was by Esme’s side, offering her his hand with a slight bow and that smirk on his face. Was he ever not smirking? 

She accepted his hand and, ever graceful, he helped her too her feet and led her away from the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear lord, these are the longest chapters I've ever written. Why am I doing this to myself? How will I manage to keep this up? Only God can save me now


	3. Fascinating

Horde Prime, as Esme was quickly shown, was a bit of a collector. The room he brought her to was filled with so many entrancing items. There were weapons, instruments, baubles and trinkets of all sorts. They covered the walls and lined the many tables, each one so unique in its shape and colors. You could so easily tell they were each from it’s own world and culture.

She stood in the doorway for a moment as she took in the sudden change in scenery. It was a lot to take in after the monotonous hallways. She took a slow step forward, then another. She wasn’t quite sure what she should focus on first, so she decided to start with whatever was closest, turning her eyes to the trinket, what looked like a small statue made entirely of some precious gemstone. It glinted beautifully in the light of the ship, almost as if it was glowing from within. 

As she went around the room, taking each object in, she could hear Horde Prime’s voice from behind her.

“I thought you would enjoy it.” He started, voice as smooth as silk. “Each artifact is from a different planet, one I have so graciously brought into my light. They hold great importance.” She heard his footsteps echo through the room as he drew closer. “More importantly for us, they are each beautiful, in their own way, a piece of another world far from here.”

She felt a hand alight on her shoulder, the barest brush of skin on silk, like if he put too much weight on her she would crumble. Did he think she was fragile, like a castle made out of sand or glass? She internally scowled at the thought but said nothing. Gently, that hand guided her away from the instrument she had been pondering and towards the artifact at the very end of the room. It was held in light unlike the others, floating in place as if by magic. It looked like a planet itself, it’s surface swirling with blues in greens in an intriguing pattern, looping back this way and that. She wanted to reach out, to trace the patterns, but she stayed her hand. Such a trophy should not be touched by the likes of her.

“This,” Prime’s voice came out almost like a purr above her shoulder. “Is one of my most treasured. It comes from the first planet I had conquered.”

Esme nodded, understanding the importance of such an artifact. Based on the size of this collection, Prime’s empire was vast. She couldn’t begin to imagine how long it had taken to grow to such a size, how ancient he himself must be in turn. She suddenly felt so small compared to all this, to all the empire was, to what Prime was. 

“We have nothing as beautiful as this.” She stated, voice ever so slightly tinged with an odd sort of sadness. “We never were a people to craft treasures. Such things aren’t considered important. We craft other things, stories, music.” 

She looked around the room, turning as she did so to take it all in once more. To imagine there was still so much space in this room, more worlds to add, more treasures like these still undiscovered and waiting to be seen. Her planet, her people, they were nothing in the vast universe, just a speck in the stars, dust. They had nothing that would last beyond them. Once they ended and their planet died, there would truly be nothing left of them. Not even a single, small artifact in a room of treasures. She wondered how many of these worlds were already gone.

Her mind struggled with the thoughts that ran through it. Ultimately, she decided it did not matter. Her people had everything they could want. They did not care for such things as eternity, only for what was. She knew they wouldn’t care if they left nothing behind because the time they had been there was enough. The thought helped ease her mind. 

She looked up to Prime, a half smile on her face.

“I suppose you will have nothing of us to add to your collection.”

He hummed, staring back down at her. She wondered what exactly that smirk he was constantly giving her even meant.

“Perhaps nothing for this room. But then, there is more to a people than mere objects, as I’m sure you know. You already said your people crafted songs and stories. Those can last far longer than you might expect.”

“Yes, I can see what you mean.” She said, head tilting to the side as she gazed back at the floating orb before them. “These are all very beautiful, but oftentimes I find a song with even a mediocre tune tends to stay with me longer than any beautiful sight. Whether or not I actually want it in mind.” She scowled at the thought, remembering a tune from home the children would sing that would often get stuck in her mind. Sometimes it got to the point where she would willing drop a stone on her tail if it got rid of the dreadful noise. 

Prime chuckled, a deep sound that rumbled in his chest. 

“Perhaps you could share some of these songs with me sometime. It has been so long since I heard anything I truly enjoyed. And from what I’ve gathered from my brother, you have quite the singing voice.” 

She let out a peel of laughter before she could stop herself, remembering the look of the disheveled creature from the night before. 

“Oh, poor thing!” She managed to say after calming her laughter. “I thought my singing had accidentally lured him in. He didn’t stand a chance!”

Prime gave a laugh of his own, though much more tamed than hers. 

“You gave him quite the scare, my little siren. He thought he was truly in danger. To think he had instead stumbled upon such a prize as yourself.” He said the last part with a purr, his grip on her shoulder tightening ever so slightly. She wondered what he meant exactly by that. Was it because of how much she was helping? She doubted it would have been difficult for him to simply send an army to wipe her people out and take the planet and its resources for himself. But then, such a straight forward tactic would mean all that knowledge on what foods the planet bore and, more importantly, how to cultivate those plants, would be lost. Perhaps he had intended to try diplomacy from the beginning and she smoothed that process out. Perhaps he had still been working on how exactly to take the planet when she was brought before him. In any case, her presence was helpful.

“Come.” His smooth voice interrupted her thoughts. “There is more to see.”

“You’ve already been so generous.” She said, speaking carefully. So didn’t want to reveal just how excited the thought of seeing more got her. “All this that you’ve shared with me, can I really accept more?”

“I insist!” 

His hand left her shoulder, a clawed finger brushing her jaw ever so slightly as he withdrew. She managed to suppress a shiver. He turned away from the treasure and she did the same, taking the extended hand offered to her and allowing him to lead her once more through the halls of the ship.

She was almost surprised by how easily conversation with the Emperor came. She was becoming more … comfortable around him, slowly but surely. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. If she became too comfortable she could say something wrong, something that could set him off. She had no doubt that, if he wanted to, he could end her with a snap of his fingers. But she couldn’t stop herself from relaxing at least some. There was just something about him, something that drew her in and brought down her walls. 

She took a deep breath. She needed to stay composed. She needed to stay professional, or at least as professional as she could be. She knew Horde Prime was not someone she should get comfortable around.

“Ah, here we are.”

The door in front of them opened, a wave of warm air hitting them, and she gasped. 

For a moment she wasn’t sure what she was looking at. Her vision was filled with plants, beautiful trees and flowers and blooming vines. In the distance she could hear what sounded like a small creek of some sort, making her ears twitch. The smell from the flowers was pleasant, warm and overwhelming. Had that door transported them to some planet like the column of light had last night? No, that wasn’t right. There were still the same white walls as everywhere else and a roof far above them, albeit one made of glass, giving the impression of a woods at night. 

She took a step forward, eyes wide. This. This was far more beautiful than all the treasures in Prime’s collection. She had forgotten about keeping her composure at that moment. It wasn’t nearly as important as taken in the sight before her. She didn’t notice when she started purring, nor the smile that took over Prime’s face at the sound, a smile of satisfaction, as if he was confirming a suspicion of his. 

“This is my greatest treasure.” He said, giving a grand motion to the garden. “My sanctuary. How do you find it.”

She couldn’t find her voice right away. When she did finally speak, it was only a single word, spoken breathlessly.

“Stunning.” Esme wandered forward hesitantly, only managing a few steps before turning back to look at Prime. He had called this place his sanctuary. It was only right to ask permission first. 

He answered her silent question with a nod, motioning once more to the garden, inviting her to explore as she saw fit.

She walked through the garden, getting lost in the colors and smells that pressed in on her on all sides. Each plant, each flower, fern, tree, vine, they were their own world of fascinations. She could have spent hours in there, taking in every single little thing she could. Or she could have, if she wasn’t followed by the constant sense of being watched. Prime followed her every step, never far behind. She thought she would be glad if he ever stopped talking, but now that he was silent it put her on edge. Her fascination with the plant life around her helped ease her anxiousness, but it didn’t entirely go away.

Why was he watching her so closely? What did he hope to gain by observing her in these surroundings? Was it to gain a better understanding of her people as a whole, or just a better understanding of her? No, it had to be for her people. So he would know how to best work with them? That seemed a bit unlikely. Would he even really care? Wasn’t that her job as ambassador? At least she thought that’s what she was supposed to do, help each side work together. Was she wrong? Had she gotten the wrong impression? No, that couldn’t be it either. That’s what she had to do in only a few days' time, make that arrangement between her people and the Empire. So again, what did he gain from observing her so closely? Was it really just … curiosity?

She paused in her walk by the small creek, kneeling down to get a better look at the small blue flowers that dotted the stones along the water’s edge. They had only four petals each, going from a deep blue on the edges to more of a violet towards the center. Each one was hardly larger than the tip of her fingers. 

She could feel Prime’s presence behind her, his eyes trained on the side of her face. She sighed, looking up at him. He didn’t even attempt to hide his stare.

“If it isn’t rude, may I ask … Why you are doing that?”

“Doing what, my dear?”

She tried not to glare at the smug look on his face. He knew exactly what he was doing. 

She stood up to face him, keeping her face passive as she stared back. 

“Why are you staring at me? You’ve been observing me since we entered the garden rather closely. To what end?”

He just smirked, head tilting to the side slightly and hands clasped behind his back. She couldn’t place the exact look behind his eyes, but he gave off the air that he was … pleased with her? 

“How very bold, to speak to your new emperor in such a way.” He said, voice low and smooth. She didn’t respond. Showing any sign of fear would do nothing for her now. Perhaps she had misspoke, but just because he was an important figure didn’t mean she couldn’t question his actions and she had tried her best to be polite. She was not at fault.

He took a few, slow steps towards her, standing only a few inches away. She was forced to look straight up to keep eye contact, his acidic eyes boring into her, like he was trying to reach into her very soul and bring her ever secret, every hidden part of herself, to the surface. She found herself getting lost in his hypnotic gaze. 

“I suppose a question asked so politely, no matter how bold, deserves some sort of answer.” He finally said, his breath warm on her face. They were so close now she could smell him, a mixture of metal and something warmer, more organic. The look in his eyes only intensified, his usual smirk gone from his lips. It was odd. He almost looked confused. “You fascinate me.” He whispered, cupping her face in his hand. It nearly engulfed the side of her head, those sharp claws tangling in her hair, but she didn’t pull away. Any sudden movements could end very badly for her. “I want to understand you. I want to understand why you’ve caught my interest so.”

She didn’t quite understand what he meant. It was like he was talking more to himself than to her. Still, she could feel warmth spread over her cheeks, her ears lowered, and her tail flicked back and forth. It was overwhelming. He was overwhelming. His presence, his warmth, his smell, it blocked out everything else. In that single moment, it seemed like the only thing that existed was him.

Finally, what seemed like an eternity later, he let her face go and stepped away, turning his back to her. In a single moment the world came rushing back to Esme, the smell of the flowers, the music of the creek, the warmth of the air. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“I believe that is enough for one day.” His voice had returned to its usual, smooth tone. “We don’t want to overwhelm you, after all. It would be a shame to break something so precious. Come.”

He didn’t even turn to her as he spoke or when he walked away. She followed automatically, mind reeling from the moment they shared. The moment they stepped outside the room the doors closed behind her and his brothers were by their side, standing at the ready. 

“They will take you wherever you wish. Within reason, of course. I’m afraid I have other business to attend to.” 

He turned back to her, just for a moment, before he walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo, wonder what that was all about ;) Is our boy Prime *gaps* feeling something?!


	4. Oncoming Familiarity

Perhaps Esme was starting to get used to these hallways. She didn’t mind the monotony. With nothing to distract herself, it made it easier to think. She had been through a lot in just under half a day and she needed time to process it without the many distractions that came with being in a completely new environment. So, she spent the next couple of hours wandering the halls, processing.

It looked like she was an Ambassador. That wasn’t quite what she had planned when she had gone on that walk the night before. She hadn’t expected to meet the Emperor of the known universe either, and never could she have expected that Emperor to take an interest in her. That was what she had the most trouble processing for whatever reason. Why would someone like Horde Prime hold any interest in someone like her, some woman from a nothing planet, destined to do nothing of importance. Still, it could not be denied that was exactly what had happened. 

What did that mean in the long run? Would she even see him again once the deal with her people had been struck? It didn’t seem likely. She imagined being the ruler of so much left him quite the busy man. Perhaps none of this mattered, then. Perhaps she would simply return to her life in her village, aiding in gathering the extra supplies for the empire, settle down, find herself a mate, have a family, live a good life. A part of her found that comforting, the idea of returning to normality. Another part of her, smaller than the first but still very present, felt unsatisfied with that sort of life. She wouldn’t really be doing much but working. But then she could always have her nights to sing and tell stories around the fire. 

She sighed. Perhaps she shouldn’t worry about such things right now. One thing at a time. Right now what mattered was getting this deal between her people and the empire through. She was not going to give Prime any reason to use force. 

When she had finally had enough of thinking, she asked to be taken to her room. Yes, she was getting used to these halls, but that didn’t mean she knew her way through them. Luckily, her attendants were more than happy to show her the way. 

“Are you the same attendants from this morning?” Esme asked them, glancing between the one to her left side and the one on the right. She didn’t understand a lot about these brothers and she was becoming rather curious. Out of everything she had seen today she seemed to know the least about them.

The one to her right simply nodded.

“You don’t seem to talk a whole lot.” 

“He never does.” The one to her left said, the slightest of smirks on his face. The only sign the other gave that he heard him was the slightest lowering of his ears. Even with a blank face he looked disapproving. It made her snicker quietly.

“Oh, the quiet type I see.” She hummed as a thought hit her. “May I ask, what did you end up doing with my clothes?”

“I believe you just did.”

She waited for an actual answer but when it looked like none was coming she turned to the left one.

“They were sent to be washed. They should be in your room now.”

“Thank you.” She said with a bright smile. He looked shocked for a moment before giving a little smile back. She went back to her thoughts with a hum. “I’ll need to wear them when I go back to speak with my people. This outfit is lovely, but it would be far too out of place. It would make me seem unfamiliar to them.”

“Of course, Ambassador.”

She tried not to scowl but a frown still managed to slip onto her face. 

“If it’s okay with you, can you just call me Esme? I don’t think I’m quite used to being called Ambassador.”

The one on the left looked confused at her words.

“But wouldn’t you get used to it faster if you were called Ambassador more often?” He asked.

“If it is what she wishes, then that’s what we’ll do.” The one on the right snapped, almost looking angry with his brother. “It is not our place to question her reasoning.” 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Esme said in a soothing voice, watching the right one’s face return to it’s careful blankness. “I’m sure there are plenty others who will be calling me Ambassador.” She said to the one on the left. “It would just … be nice if you two would call me by my name. Some familiarity, no matter how slight, can be comforting in strange, new surroundings.”

He nodded in understanding.

“As you wish, Esme.”

His face also went carefully blank. It rubbed her the wrong way, and since they were talking anyways, she might as well ask about it.

“You try awfully hard not to show emotions.” She kept her voice contemplative. “Why is that?”

“Such forms of expression are reserved only for Horde Prime.” Said the one on her right.

“I see…” She didn’t want to say how odd and disconcerting such knowledge was. She took note of it. 

It took less time than she thought it would to reach her room. It looked like someone had come in to tidy up, though she hadn’t left it in much of a state of disarray. The only thing that she had altered was the bed when she made her nest to sleep in the night before. That nest had been removed, the sheets and blankets spread back over the bed properly. She didn’t mind. Making her nest had been relaxing, mindless work. It was like a break from the stress of the situation she had brought upon herself. 

Just as her attendant had said, her old clothes were there, neatly folded and laid on one of the side tables. The warm colors were a stark contrast to the constant white.

“I think I’ll take a quick nap, if that’s okay with you two.”

They didn’t respond, but the friendlier one nodded. 

She curled up on the soft blankets. She didn’t really want to make a nest just yet. Perhaps after her nap when she felt more rested. Her naps never did last long and she had more than enough time afterwards.

She buried her face into the pillows with a sigh, drifting off to sleep slowly. 

=

Music filled the halls by Esme’s room, echoing through the empty space and traveling far to reach the ears of anyone who passed anywhere near her. She didn’t know how far her voice was carrying at the time, of course. She hardly even noticed when her singing had gone from a quiet hum to a much louder tune. It was similar to a lullaby but the notes were low and the lyrics spoke of revenge and betrayal. It was a dark song, not something she would usually sing but it had fascinated her as a child and came to her mind now. 

She was brushing her hair as she sang, enjoying the feeling of the brush gliding through the strands. Her hair was a mess after her nap and, after making her nest and continuing to relax, she decided it should probably be dealt with. The friendlier attendant had offered to do it for her but she had declined, at least for now. She did tell him that he could put her hair up later if he wanted to and that seemed to please him. Maybe she should show him some common ways her people did their hair some time tomorrow. That would be a nice way to spend some of her free time until she met with the chief’s. The festivities would start the day after tomorrow and she got the impression Horde Prime would be keeping her here until then.

When the first song ended she started another. This one was another lullaby, though not as dark as the first. The lyrics spoke of the sea and dancing under the moon. It was one of her mother’s favorites. Of course, she knew songs that weren’t lullabies, but they were soothing and she had a fondness for them. 

Once she finished the second song she put the hairbrush down on the side table, right next to her old clothes. She got up, running her fingers through her hair as she did so. It was still so nice from her bath that morning, so soft. 

It was then that she noticed someone else was in her room and she gave a little jump.

Horde Prime was standing in the doorway, that infuriating smirk on his face and his hands clasped behind his back. Her attendants had been stationed on either side of the doorway. The one on the left, the friendlier one, gave her an amused look, eyes shifting between her and Prime. 

“Oh, it’s you.” She said with a huff before she could compose herself properly. “And how long have you been standing there staring at me?”

The irritation in his voice seemed to only amuse him, that smirk growing larger. 

“Oh, long enough.” He said with a hum. “My brother was not exaggerating. You have a truly beautiful singing voice.”

Was that sincerity in his voice? And here she thought he was incapable of such a thing. She allowed a slight smile to spread on her face.

“Why thank you. That means a lot coming from you.” She ran her fingers through her hair one last time before, taking a few steps towards him to take his outstretched hand. He led her down the halls as they talked.

“What language was that song in? I couldn’t place it.” 

“It was my people’s native tongue.” She explained. “We learned how to speak your language from different visitors from the stars. We had several show up before you did and figured it would make things far easier if we could communicate. Though we use the new language in our day to day conversations fairly often, we still use the old tongue in most of our songs and stories.”

“Fascinating.” He looked thoughtful as he walked, head tilted to the side slightly. The light glinted off the cords in his hair brilliantly when she looked at him from this angle, the angles of his face accentuated. He looked every part the powerful Emperor. “It is a very intriguing language that goes very well with song. I have to admit, your culture fascinates me more and more every time I speak with you.”

“Really? It seems all so normal to me. Of course, that’s because it is normal for me. I grew up in this culture, it’s all I’ve ever known. It’s interesting to think someone would be so interested.” Of course, it made sense, she just hadn’t thought of it before. Just as his culture was unknown and interesting to her, so hers could be to him. “I can tell you more about it, if you wish.”

“I would like that.” He said with a smile, not one of his smirks, an actual smile. 

It was then that they reached the dining room. It had been a long day and she had to admit, she was hungrier than she had thought, so she was glad to see it was meal time once more. 

Horde Prime walked ahead of her, pulling her chair out and motioning for her to sit. Once he was also seated he asked his first question.

“So tell me, what is this exodus coming up? What is its purpose?”

“Oh, starting with the big questions aren’t we?” She said with a smirk, earning herself a smile in return as the food was set out.

“Mostly, it serves as a gathering for the different villages across the world, like a long party. There are those who don’t attend, children, elderly, those who can’t travel. The chief’s go as it’s an easy way to gather together and discuss matters of trade, but most go in order to find their mates. That’s why it’s called the exodus. When someone finds their mate, they choose which village the two want to live in and move there. That means many people leave their village all at once.”

“That makes sense.” He mused. “Sounds like quite the festivities.”

“Oh yes. There’s all sorts of music and dancing and when everyone is too tired for that the stories come out. Not to mention the foods and plays from all around the world! It usually goes on for at least three days, sometimes even a week. It depends on what the people feel like. If a village is too tired, they’ll leave, but if they’re in bright enough spirits, they can go on for a while.”

“It sounds exhausting, if I may be honest.”

Esme chuckled.

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t know.”

He seemed confused by that, brow furrowed slightly.

“Why is that? Seems like such a grand party is not something to miss out on.”

She sighed.

“It only takes place once every five of my planet’s years.” She explained. “This is the first time it’s taken place since I’ve become old enough to attend. It’ll be my first time going.”

“Is that so?” And there was that smirk again, like he was pleased. “Then it would appear we can experience it together.”

She tilted her head, a bit shocked and confused. For some reason, the thought of Horde Prime going to the planet himself to negotiate hadn’t crossed her mind. He just didn’t seem the type to step out of his own little world and onto a planet he considered so primitive, not when he could have someone else do it.

“I didn’t think you’d want to.” Esme admitted.

“That is fair. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be going. However…” A smile spread over his face slowly, an odd look in those acidic eyes as he stared at her. “It has been awhile since I’ve been to any sort of … party. It could be entertaining. I can afford a few days off.”

She chewed her food thoughtfully, attempting to keep her face neutral but ultimately failing. She simply couldn’t imagine Prime, this god-like figure she’s only seen surrounded by white and light and the glint of metal, sitting by a fire, among the trees of her home. She had to admit, the thought of such a sight intrigued her. She smiled, letting out a delighted chirp.

“That sounds like a great idea! Especially since you said you were so fascinated by our culture. It’ll be easier to explain things if you can see them happening.”

“Well then,” he lifted a glass in a sort of toast. “I’m looking forward to it.”

She did the same before taking a sip of her drink, a twinkle in her eyes. This was going to be fun indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas, have a chapter! This was a bit difficult to write since it's this sort of awkward inbetween chapter, but it's done! Now I just have to figure out how to write political talks and I can get to the party. Wish me luck!


	5. Work

Esme took a deep breath of the fresh forest air and let it out in a sigh. She hated how nervous she was getting. She really couldn’t afford to mess this up. The consequences would be terrible if she couldn’t convince her people to go along with Horde Prime’s plan. She took another deep breath but it did little to clear out the lump in her chest. She just hoped it didn’t show on the outside.

At the very least it was nice to be home wearing her own clothes again. The dress was very beautiful, but it was nice to get to stretch her tail out properly and move more freely. She even had her hair up in a sort of braided crown like what she used to do every once in a while. She had promised the friendlier attendant that he could put her hair up, after all, so she showed him how to do her braid. 

They were walking through the woods, the footsteps crunching against the leaves beneath them. She was leading the group with Horde Prime not far behind. She could feel his eyes on her even now. Could he tell how stressed she was? She hoped not. Just behind Prime, walking side by side, were two of his brothers. She was surprised they were the only two he took with them. She had expected more. Perhaps he was trying to seem unthreatening? Though she couldn’t tell why. It seemed that a slight show of force would be better at convincing her people to join him, proving that he was a threat. 

Though, based on how her own village reacted when the tower landed nearby, perhaps they were already aware of the threat. 

They could hear it long before they reached the edge of the field that served as the location of this year's Exodus. Before them was the biggest gathering of her people Esme had ever seen! For a moment she just took in how many people were really there. The tents stretched through the field as far as she could see and perhaps even farther! She had been to larger villages before, but even those were nothing compared to this. For a moment she wondered if she would even be able to lead them through it all without getting lost.

She took another deep breath. Of course she could make it through. Yes, it was a massive gathering, but it was still organized just like every other year. The tents were spattered about here and there on the edge of the site, but she knew that as you went in it would start to form circles of tents around the center where the chief’s would have their meeting spot set up. She just needed to follow the paths and it would be a simple matter to find that spot.

She motioned for her companions to follow her closely and set out.

The walk to the center was not all that pleasant. Wherever they went the people would stare, both at her and her companions. Yes, visitors were known to happen, but it was not a common occurrence, and based on what whispers she managed to catch, none of them were all that pleased about the towers that had appeared on the planet. Apparently there was more than just the one by her village. She really couldn’t blame them all that much for their unease, but it still didn’t help her anxiety. She was just thankful that not everyone seemed outwardly displeased by their guests presence. 

She was almost glad when they reached the center where the elders were already gathered at the base of a massive tree. It wasn’t the tallest, there were many in the woods that surpassed it by far, but the branches stretched far to each side, its leaves a brilliant shade of deep green and it’s bark a dark brown, almost black. 

She stopped a few feet from them, giving a small bow.

“Most respected chiefs, I’m sorry for interrupting your discussion, but I believe I have business of great importance that needs your attention.” She spoke in the old tongue, a sign of respect for the chiefs before her. There were nearly two dozen of them, unfamiliar faces that looked down at her. She took another deep breath before straightening up. 

“Esme?” One of the chief’s said and she recognized the voice. An immense feeling of relief washed over her as she saw her own village’s chief, an elderly woman with salt and pepper fur and silver hair pulled back into a simple braid. She had warm, understanding eyes and was smiling at her as she walked forward. “My dear, where have you been? We had to leave without you, we were so worried!” She spoke in the old tongue as well, eyes shifting ever so slightly to take in the visitors behind her. She didn’t dare look back.

“I’m sorry, my chief, I hadn’t intended to be gone for so long. I had an opportunity to discover what the visitors wanted from us, so I took it.”

That seemed to grab the other chiefs’ attention. Their gazes intensified.

“Then tell us, what do these visitors want?” One of the chief’s yelled, one of the youngest of the group it seemed. He looked angry, glaring past her shoulder at Prime and his brothers. She narrowed her eyes at him. He seemed like he might be trouble. 

She thought carefully before she responded. She had to tread carefully if she wanted to convince them. As she thought her words through the group drew closer to her, murmuring amongst themselves.

“It really isn’t too much.” She started. “There is a whole empire out there made of many, many different worlds. These new visitors are from that empire. They wish for us to join them!”

“And what exactly do they get out of it?” Said the same chief from before, shoving his way through the group to stand in front of her. She tried not to glare too much. “And what are they willing to give to us in return?”

She could feel Prime’s eyes burning through her, no doubt glaring at the young chief. His tone was not exactly friendly.

“They are searching for another source of food for the people of their great empire. We have more than enough to share what extra we have. They wish to put down outposts in the largest villages and have their own people collect. All they need from us is to guide them.” She kept her voice cheerful as she spoke. She knew that, in general, they responded well to positivity. “In return they can give us security from the dangers outside of our own world.”

“We’ve faced no dangers.” He retorted with a scowl. “We’ve had many visitors before and have faced no threats. They are the ones who have endangered us.” He pointed at her companions but his anger remained on her. “Them and their towers and their metal men.”

“Are they not allowed to be cautious?” She said, allowing her voice to rise, not so much that she was shouting but enough to be heard. “They stepped foot onto an unknown planet with unknown people. They don’t know what we are like. For all they knew, we could be an advanced and violent society. They were simply defending themselves. If you’ve noticed, no one was hurt, just chased away. Now they are trying to step forward and establish a peaceful connection with us.” She turned to the rest of the group, a reassuring smile on her face. “We have been presented with an opportunity. How will we present ourselves to the rest of the universe? Will we show them our best, or our worst?”

There was a round of murmurs and shared looks. They seemed uncertain. Esme looked to her chief, giving a pleading look. 

“Please, trust me on this. I think it’s the best option for our people.”

She relaxed slightly when her chief smiled at her, as warm and caring as always. Perhaps she had at least one of them on her side. 

“I trust you, child. But I believe I speak for all of us when I say this is a lot and we have questions.”

“Of course. And I know who has all the answers you could want.” 

She stepped to the side, looking back to Horde Prime for the first time since entering the camp. He smiled at her, almost managing to catch her off guard. It was the first genuine smile she had seen him give, warm and brilliant. It was a spectacular sight that took her breath away. Was he trying to reassure her? If so, it worked. For some reason that smile helped calm her heart. She smiled back before turning to the group and speaking in the new tongue. “I present to you the Emperor of the known universe, Horde Prime.” 

As she spoke, the Emperor stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back and his most charming smile on his face. 

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He said, voice smooth and grand. He easily grabbed the chief’s attention and for a moment she was almost relieved that the youngest wasn’t glaring at her anymore, his eyes now on Prime. He was clearly distrustful, but he seemed to be the only one not swayed by Esme’s words. 

The chiefs’ brought forth all the questions they had. They questioned his motives, the benefits of the arrangement, how exactly it would work, how it would affect their own day to day lives and the lives of their people. Prime answered them all effortlessly, managing to keep himself polite the entire time, though he still gave off an air of superiority. She wondered if it was on purpose or perhaps he couldn’t help it. Maybe it was just a natural effect of being the Emperor of such a vast kingdom. Regardless, he was clearly experienced with doing this sort of thing, the effect of ruling for countless years, she was sure. It was captivating to watch him work. She spoke up when she could, to smooth things out whenever they had trouble understanding each other, but such instances were blessedly few.

Finally, when all their questions had been given satisfactory answers they sent the four of them away while they decided on what to do. 

Esme felt her entire body relax as they walked away, the tension in her shoulders finally easing up and fading away. Whatever decision they made, she had done her part and there was nothing left for her to do but enjoy her time.

Now she had to decide what to do first. 

“We shouldn’t go too far.” She said with a thoughtful trill. “The chiefs’ will need to find us when they make their decision. It’s best if we stay within the center most circles.”

“That does not limit us much, does it?” Prime said, eyes scanning the campsite as they walked. He wasn’t wrong. Everywhere she looked there was something to see or do. Music and laughter flowed from every direction, the smell of cooking food heavy in the air, and the mixture of colors that rivaled Horde Prime’s garden. Her ears twitched at every sound, her tail swishing about with barely contained energy. 

“I think we should join one of the groups playing music first!” She said, grabbing Prime’s hand with both of hers. She remembered how curious he got when he had heard her sing her people’s songs. How much better would that music be with others joining her with their voices and instruments. Perhaps she could even find a fiddle to play some tunes on. That’s what they were called in the new language, wasn’t it? Perhaps there were differences, but it must be similar enough. She thinks she remembers a visitor calling it that when she was very little. 

Prime was smirking at her again, looking quite amused by her excitement.

“Lead the way, my dear.”

He had barely gotten the words out before she was dragging him along, searching the crowd for a good group to join. She wanted to see if she could find a familiar face first. It would be easier to join if she knew at least one person there.

She got lucky. There, gathered in a circle with some strangers, were just the familiar faces she was looking for. 

“Esme!” 

It was Tilly who squealed, so loud many of the people around her flinched and covered their ears. She jumped from her spot where she was sitting, nearly bounding over to her and wrapping her in a tight hug. It was incredibly sudden and made Esme stiffen before she could properly process what exactly was going on. But once she did she hugged her friend back.

“Where have you been?! You just kind of disappeared, and the night before we left? Ha! I thought you were running away ‘cause you were scared of commitment.” She giggled at her own joke. Esme just rolled her eyes. Tilly could be a lot sometimes.

“I was just busy.” She explained, glancing back at the aliens following her. Prime had his arms crossed, still far too amused at all this. His brothers shared a look with each other but otherwise didn’t react. She decided one of her goals over the next couple of days would be to get them to show some form of emotion, one way or another. 

Tilly noticed her glance, stepping back to look over the tall men. 

“Making friends, huh?”

Esme tried not to roll her eyes again.

“This is my friend, Tilly.” She told them, motioning to the woman. “Tilly, this is Horde Prime, Emperor of the Known Universe.” She emphasized the last part, narrowing her eyes as if to say you better not do something stupid. Tilly’s eyes widened slightly before she smirked. 

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness.” She gave a low, exaggerated bow and mumbled under her breath in the old tongue. “Pretty handsome, aren’t they? I can see why you're spending so much time with them.”

Never before had she wanted to hit someone so hard before. Prime just cocked an eyebrow at her dramatics.

“It’s my pleasure to meet a friend of our dear Esme.” He said, voice oozing with a practiced charm that seemed to take the woman off guard. She blinked at him before smiling and turning back to her friend. 

“Come on! We were just about to play your favorite song!” She said the last part in a sing-song voice, motioning to the circle of people, still talking amongst themselves happily even as they watched the commotion Tilly was causing. The woman tried to pull Esme along and she in turn grabbed Prime’s wrist, dragging him with them as well.

The group accepted them happily, welcoming Prime and his brothers warmly as visitors to their world. They were eager to show off and wanted to play the most popular songs, but Tilly interrupted them. 

“I already told Esme we’d be doing her favorite song. There’s no backing out now!”

So they agreed to play that song, then move on to the more popular ones. They even gave Esme a tambourine so she could play along with them, which delighted her to no end. It wasn’t a fiddle, but it was enough.

The song was Esme’s favorite for good reason. It was one of the more upbeat ones, a type of cheerful that could bring a smile to her face even on her worst days. If she had to describe it, she would say it sounded like the joy of Spring, like when the snows of winter melt away and the first buds grow and burst with color and fragrance. It was like those flowers, bursting with life and color before fading away, making the world a better place just for existing, whether anyone paid it attention or not. Many songs were like that, but this one embodied the idea so fully, beyond what the others could do. She wondered if Prime could feel it, too, or perhaps all those years in his own world, separated from the rest of the universe, seating himself above it all in a false sense of superiority, made him incapable of connecting to something in such a way. 

As the song ended Esme looked to him, wondering if she could see any sign of that connection. Instead, she found his eyes on her, the softest of smiles on his lips as he watched her. Again, she was amazed by just how different he looked when he was allowing himself to show genuine emotion like that, though she couldn’t quite name what emotion he was showing on his face. It made him seem more real, less like some sort of god emperor and more like just another man, another creature capable of the same pain and love as everyone else. 

She smiled back her own soft smile, grateful no one could actually see her face heating up.

She felt Tilly nudge her side and she glared at the smug smirk she gave her. She shoved the woman away, only managing to make her laugh. She could hear Prime let out the smallest of chuckles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, this was actually easier to write then I thought. Let's hope the next chapter comes just as easily.


	6. Play

The music flowed like water through the field, rising and growing and surging, only gaining strength as the light faded, warming the hearts of everyone just as much as the sun. Yes, the light may have faded, but the energy of the camp did not.

It was an odd experience, but not an unpleasant one. As the time passed it became easier and easier for Esme to get lost in the surroundings, the music, the smells, the movement and colors. Whenever she looked back on the memories, it all seemed like a dream, everything blended together in a haze. There were a few things, however, that she remembered in stark detail, events that held more importance than the others. 

Like, for example, when she managed to convince Horde Prime to dance with her.

Up until that point he seemed content just to watch everything happen around him. She couldn’t blame him. It was a lot to take in even for her, let alone someone who still remained largely unfamiliar with her people and their culture. That didn’t mean she was going to let him sit around all night. He wanted to come. What was the point of that if he didn’t participate at some point?

So, as one song ended she went to him, sitting by his side for a moment for a break and to catch her break. She could sit out for one song.

“I believe I have another question for you.”

Prime had been asking her questions all day whenever he noticed something that piqued his curiosity. She never did mind answering them the best she could.

“And what’s that?” She asked, turning to him. He didn’t look quite as out of place as she had expected him to now that the sun had gone down. The light of the fire painted everything in the same burning light, managing to bring everything together. Even when he was lounging so casually to the side, giving off the air of a great king observing his subjects dancing in his light, he was still not truly separate from them. 

“You said before that your people used this as an opportunity to find mates?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me then, how does one tell which ones are looking for mates and which ones are not?”

She hummed as she thought how best to answer. 

“You see Tilly dancing over there by the fire?” She motioned to her friend. She was dancing with a man, the two twirling around each other as they laughed together. “The general rule is if their hair is down, like Tilly and her new friend over there, then they are looking for a mate. But if your hair is done up in some way, like mine is, then they aren’t looking.” 

Prime nodded, head tilted to the head slightly as he pondered this. He started looking over the crowd, no doubt seeing it differently with this new knowledge. 

“And what happens if they do not find a mate here?”

“Well, they can either return home and try again during the next exodus, or they can go traveling.” She answered. “It’s believed that those who travel show persistence, while the ones who return home show patience.”

He nodded again, returning to observing those around him. She did the same, though mostly keeping an eye on Tilly. She was getting pretty friendly with that guy. Perhaps she had already made her decision? The guy was certainly handsome, with a long black coat and hair that seemed to burn with hidden embers when the fire light hit him. She’d have to watch him closely and make sure he’s a good person.

The song was starting to wrap up when she got back on her feet, stretching her arms high above her head. She could feel Prime’s eyes on her as she did so and she smirked, turning back to him and stretching out her hand. His eyes focused on her face, completely ignoring the hand. He clearly understood what she was asking and chose to shake his head.

“No.”

She just smiled, not moving her hand.

“Oh? Well, I suppose if you don’t know how then it can’t be helped …”

Prime looked shocked for a moment before an amused smile took over his face, a mischievous glint to his eyes.

“I see how it is.” He said with a purr. “If I don’t dance then I simply don’t know how?”

Esme shrugged.

“It’s not like there’s many ways to prove me wrong.” She tried not to sound too pleased with herself but that was ultimately pointless. She was a bit too far into the festivities to care nearly as much about how she was behaving as usual. The atmosphere alone was far too catchy to fight off completely.

“Very well.” He took her hand and stood before her, looking down at her with burning eyes. “I suppose I can indulge you this once, if only to prove how wrong you are.”

“I think I can handle that.” Her smile grew wide as she pulled him forward, the next song starting. She noted the look on the clones faces, a look of barely hidden shock. She supposed that meant Prime did not dance often at all. That only left her feeling even more satisfied with herself. She didn’t even have to try that hard! 

The song was perfect, a tune about dancing the night away, fast and upbeat. Esme couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped her lips if she wanted to as she spun about, letting the music carry her. It took a moment before Prime joined with a chuckle of his own, slipping right into the music with her. 

There was nothing quite like this, dancing with someone by the light of the fire, surrounded by laughter and music. There was nothing to think about, no worries about her people or planet, no pondering the changes in her life and what it all meant, no wondering about what the future held for them. In that moment it was just her, just the music, and just that stunning smile as bright as the sun. She felt like she was dancing on air, her chest full of joy. 

She didn’t know how long they danced together. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. Those moments were lost to the haze of the living dream. Not that she minded any.

But of course, she couldn’t dance forever. Eventually, she did grow tired and decided that was enough for one night. She sat on the sidelines again, Prime by her side. She noticed the two clones didn’t appear to be around anymore. She wondered what they were off doing. They wouldn’t leave unless they had been given orders to do so, so what odd job had Prime given them? Were they simply gathering data on her people? Just observing where Prime could not be? Although she was a bit curious, she ultimately couldn’t bring herself to care enough to ask about them. She was sure they were keeping themselves busy. She did care enough to hope they were finding some sort of enjoyment, even if it was just from the sights.

The music had begun to fade as the moon was well on the way to it’s journey to the far horizon. It was late, but dawn was still a ways off. She knew there were those who would stay up for hours to come, but she also knew there would be far more interesting things to do in the morning and she didn’t want to miss it just because she was sleeping. So, she sighed and got back to her feet.

“I’m afraid it’s time for me to turn in for the night.” Esme told Prime, glancing around her surroundings. The tents only had the one purpose, to serve as a place for the people to rest throughout the exodus. “I’m going to find a spot somewhere in one of the tents to sleep for a bit. They will probably start telling stories soon, if you want to stay here and listen to them.”

“You hold no interest in the stories?” He asked her, sounding genuinely curious. It made her smile but she just shook her head.

“I’ve heard them all before.”

He seemed to accept that answer. He brought his hand up to hold hers for a moment, his skin warm against hers, a dangerously clawed thumb rubbing across the back of her hand ever so gently.

“Very well, my dear. Rest well and I shall see you again when you wake.”

She purred happily.

“Enjoy yourself. Tomorrow morning we can talk about the stories they tell.”

He smiled at that, a sparkle in his green eyes, or perhaps that was just the reflection of the fire. He let her go, her hand sliding out of his, and she went off to find somewhere to sleep.

= 

Her people didn’t need a lot of sleep. They were well adapted to spend long days working under the sun and nights together by the fires. In turn, they tended to sleep for only a few hours a night and nap throughout the day. Esme herself tended not to nap nearly as much as the others in her village, which left her sleeping longer at night but she didn’t care too much. She preferred the day to the night anyways. 

All this to say, it wasn’t long before she had woken up again in the small nest she had found for herself. Based on the birdsong that drifted into the tent, it couldn’t have gotten far into the morning. Dawn had passed, but the song hadn’t been up for long. 

She sighed, stretching out her whole body before blinking her eyes open and staring at the top of the tent. Her ear twitched as she listened to the gentle commotion of the camp outside and the quiet breathing of the few others who had settled in the tent. She shifted about before getting up, quietly tiptoeing out without waking anyone else. 

The moment she had left her stomach started complaining at her, specifically for her favorite type of breakfast dumpling. So, she went on a search for breakfast. 

The energy of the camp was different that morning. It was more calm, most of the people still sleeping after a long night. Those who were up spoke quietly with each other. It was an odd peace that followed a long, energy-filled night. It was nice.

Unfortunately, that meant there weren't nearly as many people cooking yet, which meant she couldn’t find the exact food she was looking for. She was debating whether or not she should just find the ingredients and make it herself or just settling for something else when she saw a familiar figure amongst the thin crowd. Well, it was more accurate to say the figure noticed her, yelling her familiar yell she always used as a greeting.

“Esme!”

And in an instant Tilly was by her side again, walking with her.

“Hi, Tilly. Did you have a good night?” She said with a smirk. Tilly giggled.

“Maybe…”

“Well, are you going to tell me his name?”

And in an instant she was being told about an entire life. His name was a melody, she said, but in truth it was just Atlas. She heard no melody in the sounds that made up his name, but clearly Tilly did. Her eyes lit up and grew wide as she described every little detail about him, like how he grew up by an ocean, not the one close to their village, one much farther away, and when she closed her eyes and drew close to him she could smell the foreign sea on his fur. Like how he was the worst dancer she’s ever seen, but that didn’t matter because when he did dance he would smile with the warmth of a thousand suns and she didn’t care how many times he stepped on her feet if it meant she got to see that smile. Like how he loved his family, his three sisters and two brothers and moms. Like how they talked so easily, hours spent reveling in each other's words until exhaustion forced them apart. She could go on endlessly, Esme was sure, but she stopped herself, because there was something more important than herself and her attempts at love.

“You wouldn’t have happened to see anyone you liked, did you?” Tilly said it like she was asking about the most scandalous of gossip, which was fair. Esme wasn’t the hopeless romantic Tilly was. She didn’t spend her time imagining how she would find love, hardly even thought of what she would want in a mate or what they would look like, couldn’t even be bothered to pick which gender she preferred. She didn’t plan it out like dear Tilly. She just assumed when she found someone it would be by chance, whoever they may be and whatever they may be like. She wasn’t going to go searching for it. 

Esme shook her head, but that only made her smile wider, like she knew something Esme didn’t. And she probably did. Tilly knew more about love than Esme did. 

“Really? ‘Cause someone was definitely watching you.”

Esme rolled her eyes.

“I’m assuming you’re going to tell me who at some point.” She said with a sigh. She checked that nearby cooking fire, but no, that wouldn’t work for breakfast. She kept looking.

Tilly giggled.

“Oh come on, you had to have noticed! He was literally the only person you danced with last night!”

Esme tilted her head to the side with a hum, squinting her eyes slightly as she thought it over. Yes, she supposed that made some sense. At the very least it explained why he did some of the odd things he did. 

“You really think so?”

Tilly nodded, all confidence. 

“I just know these things.”

“Sure you do.”

There was a moment of silent, Tilly looking at Esme expectantly.

“Well? What’re you going to do about it?”

Esme shrugged. She wasn’t really sure and, to be honest, it wasn’t really something she wanted to figure out right that moment. She just wanted to enjoy her time here. Couldn’t all this wait until later, when there was nothing to distract her from her thoughts? This was something she would have to think through properly, carefully, and there was no way she could do that here.

“Right now, I’m not going to do anything but find myself some breakfast.”

Tilly gave her an odd look before shrugging herself.

“Alright, if you say so. I won’t push too much. But seriously, you should think about it. You could do a lot worse.”

“Yeah,” she said, a slight smile on her face. “I suppose so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmmm, yesss, FEELINGS!
> 
> I don't know if anyone cares, but I drew a picture of Esme and Horde Prime! It's not very good, but it's some of the best I've done and I'm kinda proud of it. Take a look if you want! 
> 
> https://hope170.tumblr.com/post/639350749215719424/hey-look-at-this-im-the-best-at-drawing-i


	7. An Honest Conversation

Horde Prime was not usually the type to indulge in such things like dancing, music, or stories. It had simply never held his interest before. Beyond that, he had an image to keep, and that image did not include such nonsense. It was unimportant, frivolous, the products of lesser beings not worth his time.

But then there was Esme. 

Remarkable, intelligent, confusing Esme. She had somehow managed to catch his attention in a way nothing had before. From there very first meeting he was drawn to her in a way he couldn’t explain. She was an outlier, a conundrum he couldn’t figure out, a brilliant star that shouldn’t exist. He didn’t understand her but he wanted to. He wanted to know everything about her, every little piece of the puzzle that he may put it together and find some sort of understanding.

So, he turned to the planet she came from, the people she grew up with. They were a part of her, something she cared about. She had to care deeply to stand up to him for their sake. No, he wasn’t fooled by her carefully crafted words. She had no reason to care about helping him just for the sake of helping him. She wanted to help her people.

And her people valued things like music and stories. 

So he listened, observed, collected the data he needed. If he took Esme’s hand and allowed her to lead him into a dance, it was because he wanted to understand. If he spent the rest of the night taking in her people’s favorite stories, it was just to find the next piece of her. Perhaps it would be the one to solve the puzzle. 

Later on, Esme would tell him that her time with him there felt like a dream, a haze of blurred memories tinged with a sense of happiness. He could not say the same. For him, every single detail could be remembered impeccably. There were a set few memories he would elect to forget, banishing them to the void of oblivion as unimportant as time passed and he went from one vessel to another, but there would be many more that remained. He had to remember her favorite stories, the ones that made her eyes light up so beautifully, and her favorite songs, the ones that had her voice singing out so perfectly, so far above all the others. He remembered every word that she spoke, their many conversations under the stars and among the trees, the feeling of her hand in his, so warm and soft yet so strong. 

There were few creatures out there in the universe that could match or even surpass the strength of himself and his brothers. Most who could were also much larger. But not Esme. She was smaller than his brothers, granted not by much, and still had more strength than them. He had commented on it before, curious (everything about her made him curious so it wasn’t truly much of a surprise) but she had just shrugged and explained it probably came from the constant physical work her people did, climbing trees, sparring, dancing, other things of the sort. He accepted this, but he also noted that some clearly had more strength than others.

Esme had explained that, alongside the dancing and singing and all that, her people liked to spend their time sparring with one another. It had admittedly caught him by surprise when she first told him. Her people were clearly very peaceful by nature and any sort of fighting seemed out of place. She was quick to say no, fighting and sparring were not the same.

“Sparring is more of a sport, with rules and guidelines to make sure no one actually gets hurt.” She had explained. “People who are just fighting usually intend to hurt each other and aren’t going to care about any rules. And Sure, sometimes people do just fight, but more often than not they’d rather deal with their anger in other ways.”

It wasn’t until the third day that he saw any of this sparring for himself. A few of Esme’s people had gathered and cheered on as two rather large specimens grappled with each other. There was a rather large amount of preening being done as well, no doubt showing off to potential mates that may be watching as both of the sparrers had their hair down. Esme showed no interest in the display herself, quickly getting bored and wandering away. He took a note of this reaction. Was she not interested in sparring or did she simply not wish to watch at this time? 

Or perhaps she had been disgusted by the clear attempts at showing off. Or, more likely, she had wanted to show her disinterest in finding a mate. 

For some reason he could not quite understand, the thought left a hollow feeling inside his chest. 

When he had the time later that night, only after Esme had left his side once more to get the sleep she needed, he pondered that feeling. More than that, he pondered all the strange feelings this woman was bringing up, feelings he was most certainly not familiar with. Emotion was a silly, unnecessary thing that only brought distractions and weakness. No wonder it had distracted him so thoroughly. But why did these emotions spring up whenever she was around? Perhaps there would be some answer if he could pinpoint what these exact emotions were.

He analyzed them carefully, picked apart each and referred back to the emotions he knew of. It was not … unpleasant, this warmth in his chest that sparked and burned whenever he thought of her, looked at her, listened to her. He could rule out all possible negative emotions, then. That made the list much, much smaller. He knew he felt … happy when he was around her, but that wasn’t quite what he was looking for. His happiness was simply a side effect of that deeper emotion. Joy? No, that was just another form of happiness. 

He paused in his walk, turning his face to the stars above. They shone bright on this planet, the atmosphere adding smears of purple and deep blue to the blackness between each brilliant point of light. But he didn’t see them, not really. Even now, all he could see was her, the starlight in her eyes or her smile. 

Perhaps this was an obsession, then. But what caused such an obsession to occur in the first place?

He hissed in frustration, ignoring the few glances the sound got him from the few who still remained around the fires. This should not be so difficult. He was Horde Prime, Emperor of the Galaxies. He saw all, he knew all, he had power over everything.

Except when it came to his own emotions, apparently. 

He continued walking, pace much quicker, more determined. He knew exactly where he was going, only stopping when he reached the tent, the same as every other. He took a deep breath, gaining control over these horrid emotions before entering. 

It was dark inside the tent. Even still, his eyes adjusted quickly and he could pick out details like the four nests set up around the edge, all empty except for one. He went to the occupied nest, looking down at the figure nestled amongst the blankets. He felt that warmth in his chest once more, a soft smile on his face.

Esme was still sleeping, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, heartbeat slowed in her sleep. She looked peaceful, her face relaxed, her hair spread out in a dark halo around her head. So soft, so perfect. He knelt next to her, a hand reaching out to brush the hair out of her face, ever so gentle so as not to wake her. The last thing he wanted was to disturb her. Still, he couldn’t quite stop himself from resting his palm on her cheek, her fur so warm and soft against his rough skin. That feeling in his chest only grew stronger until he had to finally take his hand back, afraid he would burst if it remained there.

He decided to sit, leaning against one of the support beams. It was rough against his back, the surface covered in bark, but he didn’t care. He wanted to stay nearby. He wanted to be there when she woke up. Then he could ask her about these strange emotions. She was used to such things, she would know more than him on this matter. The thought should have bothered him, that anyone would be better than him at anything, but it did not. It was only natural. 

He passed what remained of the night reviewing his brother's memories, even now observing more of his light’s world. 

=

Esme woke up slowly that morning, burying her face deeper into the blankets with a sleepy trill. It was only for a moment, of course, just while her brain caught up with her waking body. This was, what, the fourth day? Yes, that was right. She wondered what they would do today. Surely things would be winding down soon. The chief’s would have to give their answer soon on Horde Prime’s proposal. 

She let out a sigh, stretching out and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Then she turned to her side, blinking as she took in the rest of the tent.

She hadn’t expected to see Horde Prime there, sitting so close. If she had been more awake she may have jumped or let out a startled sound of some sort. Instead, she just looked at him, taking in the way the morning sunlight from around the tent opening cast a fascinating array of shadows around his face and glinting off the metal of the cables in his hair. His face was relaxed, his head leaning back against the support beam. His eyes were closed, well, at least the one she could see, and his breathing was slow and even. Was he sleeping? She supposed even someone like Prime needed rest every once in a while. 

“Good morning, my dear.” His deep voice reached her ears, nearly purring as he spoke the words. The purr entered his voice so often when he spoke to her, it made her wonder if he could actually purr like her. 

“‘Morning” She mumbled in response, voice groggy and she found herself yawning as she sat up. His eye opened, looking her over as she gave another stretch. She could feel his gaze run over her, making her shiver. She wasn’t quite sure if it was a pleasant shiver or not. She decided to focus on smoothing the stray hairs on her braid. She couldn’t imagine it looked very nice, it was quite the mess. Eventually she just sighed. There was no saving this, so she started undoing it, her fingers running through her hair as she went. She could probably just put it back up in a loose braid.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” She heard Prime say. She glanced over to him, curious. He had his full attention on her now, head tilted slightly as he gazed at her, a soft expression on his face that took her breath away. She forced herself to look away.

“And what’s that?”

He didn’t answer at first and when he did speak his voice was quiet.

“I’m sure you understand emotions well, yes?”

That was … an odd question. She finished undoing the crown-like braid, running her hands through her hair a few more times to work out any knots. 

“Yes, I’d like to think so.”

“Then perhaps you could help explain this to me.” When she looked at him again their eyes met. She was held captive by their gentle glow, a strange look on his face. It was a mix of confusion, concern, and below that a deep affection that very nearly caught her by surprise. She was sure she would have been more surprised if she hadn’t already caught on to his feelings for her. Still, it felt odd, for all that adoration to be directed at someone like her, someone so … unimportant. “This … feeling in my chest, it won’t leave me.”

She looked at him for a moment, contemplating, before getting to her feet with a huff, taking the few steps it took to reach his side and sit by him. He hummed his approval, wrapping a large arm around her waist to draw her close to his side, just close enough that her thigh was touching his and she could feel the warmth of his body. 

“Describe it for me?”

He nodded, looking off into the distance as he tried to find the right words .

“It feels like … my chest gets full and warm. My hearts race and my body feels light. It is not altogether unpleasant, but it makes me want to do things, ridiculous, foolish things.” 

His eyes burned when they met hers again. She cocked her head to the side, feigning ignorance, to what end she wasn’t quite sure. She just wanted to see what would happen.

“Really? What sort of things?”

He leaned in, towering over her even as they sat next to each other. She had to crane her neck back, almost painfully, to keep the eye contact. The arm around her waist tightened, his other hand coming up to cup the side of her face. 

“It draws me to you.” He started. She could feel his breath on her face, they were so close. “It makes me want to touch you, to hold you close and never let go, just to be with you, to see you smile, to hear you laugh and sing and just talk, to make you happy. I can’t stop thinking about you.” The hand cupping her face left to stroke through her hair. He marveled at the way the dark strands flowed around his fingers like silk. “I would give you the universe, if you asked for it, my star.”

But Esme was frowning. She didn’t look disgusted or upset with him, just … sad. She grabbed his wrist, taking the hand away and just holding it in hers, thumb rubbing over his palm. She looked down at it, so large compared to hers. Everything about him was so big and powerful, from his body to his mind to these feelings for her, ones she knew would never stay.

“I think I understand.” She finally said, trying her best to keep her voice empty of her own emotions. They would not help her here. “You’re infatuated.” 

He didn’t respond, just watched as she began tracing the lines of his palm with a finger, refusing to look at him. After a moment of silence she sighed.

“Infatuation can be dangerous. You must tread carefully. Sometimes it can lead to good things. I’ve certainly seen true love bloom from relationships that started with infatuation, but it can also end badly.” Prime listened to her every word, leaning over her even further to rest his forehead against the top of her head. She smelled amazing, like spice and the fragrance of flowers. She took a deep breath before she continued. “My parents were infatuated too, when they first met. They weren’t careful. They rushed into things, became mates, but when the infatuation left them, there was nothing left. They hated each other, in the end. They were trapped with each other, hurt and confused and they lashed out at each other all the time. It got so bad, to the point where, when my mother died, my father was just happy she was gone.” 

Esme pretended, for her own sake, that her voice didn’t start to shake at the memories, the fighting, the yelling, the nights running away into the forest as a little girl just so she could escape, just for a little while. She ignored just how comforting the hand rubbing up and down her side was and how much she wanted to lean into his warmth.

“No one deserves to go through that. I know I can’t do it.” 

“That’s why you’re not looking for a mate.” Prime stated and she nodded. 

“I don’t want to rush into anything and that’s what people tend to do during the exodus, like Tilly. If I find someone, we’d have to take it slow. I don’t want to commit to something until I’m sure they’ll stay, put in the work … actually love me.”

Prime hummed his understanding. She said he was infatuated. He could accept that. It certainly explained his obsession and love for her. But how long was this going to last? How long would he be stuck longing for her, unable to hold her the way he wanted? She clearly held no interest, did not suffer from the same feelings that plagued him. So what was he to do now?

They sat in silence, not moving from their spots as they thought. The sounds of the waking camp seemed so far away in that moment. 

He decided it didn’t matter. This, as all other things, would pass. Until then, he just wanted her to be happy. 

“Very well.” He finally said, pulling away from her and standing up. “Thank you, for enlightening me on the situation.” He extended a hand to her and she took it, letting him pull her to her feet. “How do you want to move on from here? I only wish for your happiness.”

She looked up at him with wide eyes, such a beautiful shade of deep brown, like the forest itself, and she smiled, a soft little smile. 

“Can we just … stay like this? As friends? I do love spending time with you, I don’t think I could give that up entirely.” 

He smiled down at her, his warm, genuine smile that melted her heart, and nodded, bowing ever so slightly.

“As you wish, my light.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, our two idiots have a plan of sorts! Man, Prime got hit hard with those feelings, poor baby doesn't know what to do with himself!


	8. Helping a Friend

It was on the fifth day that the chief’s finally gave an answer. They agreed to Horde Prime’s proposition, said that they would be delighted to join the Empire and provide aid to other planets in whatever way they could. Esme had expected this, of course. Her people were too kind to simply walk away. Still, their agreement sent a wash of relief over her. She didn’t dare imagine what would happen if they said no. 

The festivities would end soon, they said. Packing would start the following day and the people would head off on their own ways after that. She figured that as well. Five days was already rather long as far as the Exodus goes, they were bound to be heading out soon. She also knew that it meant Tilly would be in a bit of a state.

Sure enough, the woman approached her that afternoon when she was trying to get some form of conversation out of one of the clones. This one was not cracking, just staring and giving her one word answers, maybe two or three words if she was lucky. It was clearly going nowhere. She was almost thankful when Tilly interrupted, letting out a strangled cry before nearly collapsing onto her, arms around her. Esme shared a glance with the clone, his ears tilted down slightly at the random distressed woman that just sort of appeared.

“Hey, Tilly. You, uh, you okay there?”

“I’m out of time!” She screeched, making the other two wince at the loud sound. 

“Um …”

Suddenly, she let the other woman go and started pacing about, her tail thrashing about.

“Okay, I have to do this tonight. He said his people proposed with songs, so I just have to find the right one.” She spun to face Esme again. “And you know all sorts of love songs! You have to help me out!” And then she was clutching at Esme’s arm, looking up at her with pleading eyes.

Esme blinked down at her. The clone she had been speaking with simply walked away. Traitor.

“Okay hun, take a deep breath or something. Is this about that guy, what’s his name? Atlas?” Tilly nodded. “Right. You sure you want to propose to him? Just like that?” She nodded again, more eager than before. Esme sighed. Of course. Tilly was such a romantic, of course she would just jump into a relationship like that. “I’m not sure. Shouldn’t you take a little bit more time to get to know him?”

“But I already know everything about him!” She insisted, launching into a tyrad about everything she knew about the guy. Esme should probably have listened, but she didn’t. Instead, she interrupted the woman's rant.

“All right, I get it.” She said with a sigh. “I’ll … think about it. Meet at the tree at sunset, I’ll teach you the best song then.”

Tilly gave yet another squeal, wrapping the girl up in a tight hug.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” 

Just as soon as the girl rushed towards her she rushed away, giggling to herself and already planning the whole thing. Esme sighed, hands rubbing over her face. Okay then, guess this was what she was doing now. 

To pick the right song, she’d have to know what proposal songs were common in this Atlas’ home region. That meant she would have to find the man herself and someone get the knowledge out of him without tipping him off to her intentions. She was positive Tilly would want her proposal to be a surprise. She had been planning this moment since she was a kit and was more than happy to tell Esme all the details of how this should go. At least that meant Esme had an idea of what the other woman was looking for.

If she was going to find this guy, she was going to need some help. Thankfully, she knew just the people to ask, and one of them hadn’t gotten too terribly far in his escape attempt. She dashed over to the clone, startling him with her sudden appearance before he carefully schooled his face back into a blank expression.

“Is there something I can help you with, Ambassador?” He asked, voice ever so slightly tinged with annoyance. This one did not like her, not one bit. Was that why he wouldn’t talk to her? Had she interacted with him before now? No matter, she could ponder that later.

“I was wondering if you could help me with something. You are connected with your brothers through some sort of telepathy, aren’t you?”

The clone narrowed his eyes but nodded, choosing not to explain it to her. That was fine, she didn’t need to know how it worked. She just happened to notice that they oftentimes fulfilled Horde Prime’s wants without being given any sort of noticeable command and would give each other looks, as if they were having an entire conversation she couldn’t hear. It seemed like the only option was that they were somehow communicating telepathically. She had also pieced together they could easily communicate over large distances in this way. That’s what she needed if she was going to find this guy.

“If Lord Prime is okay with it, I was hoping you and your brother could help me find someone. I have to find the man Tilly was dancing with last night so I may talk to him. I pointed him out to Lord Prime before, he should know who I’m talking about. He had black fur.”

The clone simply stared for a moment, head tilted to side slightly and eyes narrowed. Finally, he nodded.

“Very well. Lord Prime has allowed this … search of yours.”

“Perfect. I’ll stay in this area. If anyone finds him, just let me know where he is. Is that okay?”

The clone nodded and walked off, eyes scanning the crowd already. Esme went her own way, doing the same. It looked like some had already started packing up, either to leave early or lighten the work of tomorrow. She hoped it was the latter. She wasn’t keen on searching for this guy only for him to leave before they found him.

Thankfully, with the clones help, it didn’t take long before Atlas was spotted. She was told he was in one of the outer circles and that’s where she found him, helping to take down the surrounding tents. 

Now she had to figure out how she was going to get the information out of him. She just needed to know what songs were commonly used for proposals, pick one that she actually knew, then she’d have to teach it to Tilly. She sighed. She really didn’t want to do this right now. Still, she rang her hand through her hair to undo her braid and slapped a convincing smile on her face. Yes, that would do. She walked over to him.

“Hello! Atlas, right?”

The man looked over to her with a warm smile, straightening up from where he had been pulling out the stakes keeping the tent fabric down. She was surprised to see he wasn’t quite as tall as she had thought. He was shorter than her by a few inches, but next to little Tilly had looked to be much taller. 

“Yeah, that’s me. What can I help you with?” He said in a cheery voice. She could see why Tilly liked him, he was so overly friendly and warm. 

“I just … how do I explain this?” Esme said, giving a nervous little chuckle. “I was hoping you could help me. You’re from the far south, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, sure am.”

“Well, I was hoping to … propose to a girl from that area? I heard you used songs, but I don’t know which ones are common around there.” She gave a nervous little chuckle, playing the part perfectly. She knew she had won him over when he gave her that look, knowing. He barked out a laugh at her words. 

“Oh really? Aren’t you lucky! Of course I’ll help!”

He named a few songs and blessedly she recognized a few of them. They weren’t as common in their village but still familiar to her. She took pride in the vast array of songs she knew. 

Once she had extracted all the knowledge she needed she gave a friendly smile and thanked him, earning his smile in turn.

“Good luck!” he shouted behind her back as she left. 

She waited until she was out of sight before, putting her hair back up. She did not like the looks she was getting with it down. They made her skin crawl and her tail twitch. It took only moments to get the dark strands back into a braid, but it still felt too long. 

“Well, aren’t you quite the little actress.” She heard a familiar deep voice say, the slightest of chuckles in those words. She hummed non committedly, not bothering to look as she felt Horde Prime’s presence settle in by her side, warm and familiar. 

“Whatever gets the job done. I’m supposed to meet Tilly at sunset. Do you want to do anything until then?”

He hummed.

“Why don’t you decide, my dear.”

They walked along as she thought it over. This was their last day here together, she wanted to spend as much of it as possible by his side. Who knew when they would get the chance to spend time together again after they got busy with work and the like. The stations had to be built and she would be working with the chief’s to discuss any concerns and smooth things out between them and the workers Prime would send. Not to mention how much work Prime had just ruling his Empire. Indeed, this last of their time together should be good. 

They were so close to the edge of the camp now. Why don’t they spend some time amongst the trees? She hadn’t shown him any of the forest yet. She had been so focused on sharing so many of her other favorites, music, stories, foods, games, things of that sort. It was only fair she showed him her favorite place. 

Once the decision was made she smiled up at Prime, grabbing his hand in hers. 

“Come on, I know where we can spend our time!”

And just like that she was once more dragging him away, not that he minded in the slightest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter, but it gets the job done.
> 
> Next chapter: Esme explains how proposals work.


	9. Goodbyes (For Now)

The sun had set once more and the camp was lit by the glow of the fires. There was not as much energy as the first day. Everyone was growing tired. But still, there was music, slow songs that told tales of ancient creatures, of the spirits and gods of their world. It brought an odd feeling to Horde Prime, like being caught in time, suspended in a moment. He was enchanted by the music, now more so than when he had first listened to the tunes of Esme’s people. Her own voice only enhances any song she joined in on, which was all of them, of course. 

There was only one she was quiet for, though he could still see how much effort it took her.

They had snuck away for this one. They weren’t supposed to be spying, she knew Tilly wouldn’t like that, but Esme wanted to see how things would go between her and Atlas. She asked him to follow, she said to make sure she stayed quiet but in truth he wasn’t needed for that. He didn’t dare hope, but the thought cam nonetheless, that perhaps she just wanted him by her side. 

He paid little attention to the figures in the distance or the song that girl was singing. He simply did not care. Tilly was an obnoxious woman. He had no idea why someone as remarkable as Esme would even associate with her. 

He watched her instead. She was far more interesting. She was getting so excited, her eyes sparkling beautifully, biting her lip in an attempt to keep herself quiet. He felt that feeling in his chest again, the warmth that threatened to take over his entire being. 

He wanted her to be his so badly. He wanted to hold her, feel her warmth against him and the softness of her fur, and never let go. He knew she did not approve, did not want to rush into a relationship with anyone, even him, but a part of him wanted to force her to be with anyways. He was Horde Prime after all, Emperor of the known universe, a god in his own right. He could force her to do anything he wanted. It would not be difficult. 

But then would she still smile at him with so much warmth? Would she still laugh or sing or shine with the same light?

Would she be happy?

As much as he wanted to be with her, he wanted her happiness even more. He knew forcing their relationship would do nothing but upset her and she may never be happy with him again. So he would continue to wait until she was ready. His patience would be rewarded.

Based on the squeals emitting from the figures, things had gone well with the proposal. Esme was practically shaking with excitement. She turned to him with that smile of hers, one that reassured him he made the right decision, and once more grabbed his arm to drag him away. He had expected that they would return to the fire with the others, but instead they went to the forest. As they walked, she explained how proposals worked on her planet.

“You can always just ask and talk about it.” She admitted. “But it’s more traditional to either give a gift or sing a proposal song. It’s more common in my village to give gifts. It’s usually something to wear, like a sash, ring, necklace, bracelet, things of that sort. Then you can wear it as often as possible and remember your mate even when you’re apart. In other areas it’s more common to sing a sort of proposal song, to show ones love for the other.”

“Such as what your friend did.”

She nodded, rewarding him with that bright smile.

“That’s it! She told me Atlas’ village does songs more often than not, that’s why she asked me to find one for her. The songs used for proposals change depending on the region, but usually any sort of love song will do.”

“Interesting…” His voice was quiet and contemplative, the information sinking into his mind for potential future use. 

The forest was quiet, but not silent. There was still the rustle of nocturnal creatures in the brush, the song of the night birds, the quiet roar of the wind through the trees, even their footsteps against the fallen leaves and twigs. His footsteps were much louder compared to hers, thanks in most part to the heavy boots he wore. But then again, her footsteps had always been practically silent. At night, the mushrooms and small leafy plants glowed in blues and greens, bioluminescent light occasionally broken by a purple or red. He had seen it before through his brothers' eyes, but it was always different to be present yourself to see such things. It was stunning.

“Honestly, I hadn’t expected you to be so supportive of your friend rushing into such a relationship, considering your own … reluctance to do the same thing.” He mused, his extra eyes staring at her as she walked by his side, still clutching at his arm, looking absolutely transcendent in the glow of the night forest. Her face grew hard at his words, a fire in her eyes, not warm and welcoming like usual but hot and burning. 

“It is … a bit different. I’m not going to force her to restrain from a relationship just because I’m uncomfortable with it. I know that if he ever hurts her like my parents hurt each other, he will suffer for it.”

Prime snickered, drawing her attention. He smirked down at her, grateful that the fire was warm when she looked at him. 

“I have no doubt about that, my light. I feel sorry for any poor soul that finds themselves earning your ire.”

She faced forward again with a nod.

“I don’t have a friend that would do the same for me. I can’t afford to rush into things like her.”

He hummed in acknowledgment, a sound that rumbled deep in his chest. 

They stopped in a clearing, far smaller than the field that held the camp. Here there was room for more of the glowing bushes to grow, the air filled with golden specks floating about, either bugs or spores, he could not tell. Esme led him to the middle of the clearing and they sat in the grass, simply watching the specks float by or staring up at the stars like so many precious jewels twinkling so far above them. It was quite a lovely sight. He could see why she brought him here.

They talked through the night. He adored the sound of her voice, like a melody all its own. He could listen to her stories for days, whether or not that story was a good one or the worst. He closed his eyes and listened, letting her words wash over him. 

In exchange, he told her about other planets. He described the people, the fauna, the way the light shone through the different atmospheres, the different buildings they had built. She hung on his every word, leaning in so close he could feel the warmth of her, so tantalizingly close. He smirked but kept his hands to himself, no matter how much he wanted to draw her closer. He would not touch her unless she touched him first. 

Eventually, she did, scooting closer and leaning her head against his shoulder as he described the rodent-like people of a distant planet and what he knew of their culture. It was only then that he allowed himself to wrap an arm around her waist, drawing her even closer. She did not complain or fight it, didn’t even stiffen at his touch. It must have been okay, then.

There was a moment of silence between the two.

“You know,” She started, voice barely over a murmur so as not to disturb the quiet of the forest. “This has been a rather odd week.”

He chuckled.

“Indeed, but I’m glad things went the way they did.”

He could hear the smile in her voice when she replied.

“Yeah. Me too.”

=

Few words were shared when they left each other the next morning. They had spoken enough the night before, talking right up to the sunrise. Horde Prime shared a smile with her, giving her hand a squeeze before reluctantly letting go.

“I’ll see you again soon, my light.”

And then he was gone and Esme started on the long trek home with the other members of her village. Tilly was there with Atlas. Apparently they had decided to stay at her village which was just fine with her. That just meant she could keep a closer eye on him and be there for her friend. 

It took three days to reach home and another three days after that before the Station was set up, the first one on the planet. She spoke to the clones and got everything set up between them and the chief. That first discussion was just going over the different types of food in the area so that the clones could later determine what could be sent to which planets, what the different people of the empire could eat. It was all rather boring but understandably necessary.

After a couple more days, they started going out into the forest to show the clones where they could find the food and what they looked like. Anything collected would be taken back to be analyzed further. So, they split up into four groups of two, one villager and one clone. Esme, of course, was in one of these groups. She was one of the best gatherers in the village and knew of places the others sometimes had trouble finding. It only made sense.

“If we keep heading north we should reach a small group of fruit trees, then we can head west a bit to find my favorite berry bush patch.” 

The clone didn’t even respond, following her through the trees the best he could while she was flitting about from spot to spot, ears twitching and swiveling this way and that as she listened intently to her surroundings. She was completely focused on her job, far too focused to notice when the clone paused for a just a moment, shuddering and letting out a gasp. She did notice when he spoke up.

“What are you listening for?”

His voice wasn’t very different. It still sounded the same, but the tone had changed. He sounded like … Prime?

When he spoke, she looked back at him, head tilted to the side in confusion. His eyes looked different, now holding glowing white pupils. 

He laughed at the look on her face, a laugh that was most definitely Prime’s.

“I’m sorry, my dear. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Esme huffed.

“You didn’t startle me, just confused me.” And she was still confused, but was also curious. “Did you just … possess him?”  
The possessed clone nodded, smirking just like Prime did. 

“It’s quite a useful ability I have. At any time I wish, I can … borrow one of my brothers bodies.”

“Wow, you’re trying so hard to make that sound less disturbing. I’m not sure it’s working.” She said with a grimace before continuing forward. “Whatever the case, I’m still doing my job. You’ll just have to pay attention for him.

“Of course,” Prime said in that silky tone of his. “But you haven’t answered my question. What are you listening for?” 

It took her a moment to respond, dashing towards a tree farther along on their path and stopping at its roots, still listening.

“We don’t have any predators, but that doesn’t mean there’s no danger. We still have to be careful to avoid other things, like sinkholes or a stray Irelo or other things like that, things that happen just enough for you to know it could happen but are still rare enough that it can catch you by surprise.”

“Oh? And what’s an … Irelo?”

She stopped at another tree, catching sight of the orchard through the branches ahead of them. 

“It’s a large animal that lives underground. They burrow below the surface and only show up every once in a while, when they get confused or something. They’re basically blind and tend to bumble about, causing a lot of damage to the forest. Getting caught in the middle of that is not a fun time.”

“I see.” He said it contemplatively, thinking something over. 

By then they had reached the trees. Esme dashed up the one closest to her, giving a big leap to reach the bottom branches and plucking one of the fruits, a bright green and smooth one. She wasn’t particularly fond of this fruit but she knew there were plenty of others who liked it. She put it in her bag and jumped back down, landing on all fours before straightening up. 

“Alright, now let’s go to the berry bushes this way.”

She led the way to the west. Prime remained for the rest of the afternoon, asking her all sorts of questions about her planet and the plants and creatures that inhabited it. She happily shared everything she knew, but also admitted that her own knowledge was very limited.

“We have no way of knowing all the creatures that live underground or in the oceans. They are simply places we cannot reach.”

And he would just nod his acceptance of that. Of course he couldn’t expect them to know everything. It mattered little to his end goals. 

It wasn’t until they had arrived back at the station with their collection did he leave. 

“I’m afraid this is where I have to leave you, my light. Until we get to see each other again.” He gave her a brilliant smile on his stolen face.

“And maybe next time I’ll actually get to see you.” 

He chuckled.

“I would love that.”

And he was gone once more, leaving her with the clone. He looked slightly disoriented but was quick to return to work. She did the same.


	10. These Thoughts Won't Subside

Horde Prime did not find moments of respite often. It was a lot of work, being like a god to these pitiful creatures, and as such he was almost always needed for something or the other. Despite this, he made it a point to take at least a few hours break once every forty eight hour period or so. It did him good, to step away for a while and rest. He did not need to rest, of course, but it was a luxury he was more than worthy of. 

So he found himself in his private suite, falling into his bed with a sigh, changed into appropriately comfortable clothing. He closed his eyes, allowing his mind to wander off to wherever it pleased, another rare luxury. 

And, as happened often recently, his thoughts turned to Esme.

It had been almost three months since he first saw her, marching into his control room like some sort of royalty, so brilliant and remarkable even then. She wasn’t trying to be but for some reason that only made her all the more amazing. 

Things were settling well on the planet. It had been such a long time since a planet had so seamlessly joined his empire. More often than not the people would be stubborn and insist on fighting. It was refreshing. The stations had been set up, the various food analysed and organized, and proper collection was due to start in just a few days time. 

Yes, things were going well, thanks largely to Esme. She was certainly a people person, working with everyone with a smile on her face and easing discontent in a way he never could. Of course, he was a master manipulator when it was needed. One way or another, he could make anyone do what he wished. But Esme did things differently, in a way that left both sides happy and content. 

“You put in so much needless work just to make sure they’re happy.” He had told her through his brothers lips after yet another successful negotiation meeting with the chief of the village. This one in particular, the young one that had been so aggressive during the Exodus, was causing them more trouble then the others. It was expected and Esme managed it well, as she did with the others.

“I suppose you could always just force him to comply.” She agreed. “But if we proceed while he is still unhappy, then he’s just going to cause even more problems later on, perhaps even start fighting. It seems worth it to me to put in a little more effort now to avoid that.”

His beautiful Esme. She knew nothing of politics, he knew that, but she was just so intelligent, brilliant, amazing. He couldn’t stop smiling as he laid on his bed just thinking about her.

But that familiar warmth in his chest was quick to fade, replaced instead by an odd churning in his gut.

Once things were running in just a couple days, he would have to leave this planet behind. He had to keep working, find another planet, keep his image intact. He could not afford to remain. Any rebellious figures would no doubt sense the sentimentality, the weakness. The last thing he needed was an uprising, not when he was still dealing with his infatuation and all the nonsense it brought. He had no choice but to leave.

But he couldn’t leave Esme behind.

He frowned and sat up, crossing his legs and resting his chin on his hand as he thought. He would have to make up some sort of job that would keep her close to his side. He had already given her the title of Ambassador and she took to it perfectly (like he could expect any less from her), so what was stopping him from doing it again?

Well, she could always say no. He wasn’t going to force her to do anything she didn’t want to. That would hurt her and the thought of possibly hurting her in some felt like a knife in his side. No, if she refused then he would have to accept it and force himself to go without her. These obsessive feelings would go away eventually anyways. It hardly mattered in the long run what she chose.

And if he worked just a bit harder than necessary to make the proposal too good to resist, then what did it matter?

He should have slept. Instead he spent those few hours he had free thinking of her and planning.

=

Esme had managed to get a few days rest at home before she was approached by one of the clones. She wasn’t sure what he would want. They had set everything up already, traveling all around the world to the different villages and negotiating matters with the chiefs. She had loved every moment of it. Finally, she got to see more of the world and it did not disappoint. She would have been sad that her trips had come to an end if she wasn’t so tired and in need of rest. Though now it looked like her rest would come to an end.

She was surprised when the clone didn’t speak to her, only handed her a note and left, his job fulfilled. She gave him a thank you but if he heard he didn’t respond.

She continued on her way to her little hut, settling into her comfy nest before opening the note. She read it silently, smile brightening slightly as time passed until she was beaming. She folded the note back up ever so neatly, tucking it away in her bag. 

She stretched out over her nest, laying on her stomach with her arms stretched in front of her, tail moving in lazy sweeps. She could do with a nap, then it looked like she would be heading off once more. 

=

“Well, that sounds like a completely different type of fun than the Exodus.” Esme said, pondering over what Horde Prime had told her. They were in the garden, lounging by the tiny stream. She was focused on the water, laying on her side as she watched the water run around her fingertips, the tip of her tail twitching. Prime was nearby, leaning against one of the trees, his eyes closed save for one of his extras which was trained on her. 

He gave a rumbling hum of agreement. 

“The Exodus is nothing like these sort of parties. They are used primarily for politics, unfortunately, making connections. It can get tiring.” He said with a sigh, opening all his eyes to look over at her properly. She looked remarkable sitting by the water. He could only see her back from his position but that hardly mattered. He was fascinated by the way her hair cascaded around her shoulders, the flick of her tail, the curve of her side. He was delighted to discover that, when the garden light hit her just right, he could just make out the faintest of stripes on her arms and back. 

“There has to be plenty of gossip at such events, though, isn’t there?” She turned onto her stomach to look over to him, head tilted to the side. It took him a moment to answer, too taken with her to answer properly. The light caught her face perfectly. Apparently she had a few stripes on her cheeks as well. 

“Yes, there is, but I’ve never participated in such drivel.” He smeared at the thought, but instantly regretted it when Esme frowned. Luckily it wasn’t for long before she shrugged, that bright smile returning to her face. 

“I suppose that makes sense. What do you do for fun at these parties then?”

He thought for a moment before answering.

“I enjoy watching the people, observe their interactions.” He didn’t mention that he specifically enjoyed watching them squirm and trip over themselves attempting to please him. It might upset her and make her frown again. She nodded.

“Yeah, I noticed you did a lot of watching during the Exodus. That’s a lot of fun, too, especially when you have someone to talk about them with.”

“Isn’t that the definition of gossip? Talking about others behind their backs?”

Esme shrugged.

“Maybe, but does that really matter? Anything can be fun as long as you’re with a friend.”

“I suppose that’s correct.” He said with a smirk. 

He despised these parties. He had enough work as is without wasting his name appearing at some event he cared nothing for, just sitting, watching, and waiting for it to be over. At first he wasn’t even going to invite Esme, but then he actually thought about it. She had been delighted just to see more of her own planet, had been taken by the foreign plants of his garden and the trophies in his collection. He had learned just how much she adored experiencing and seeing new things. Even if he found such events to be a bore didn’t mean she would, and if she was enjoying herself then it would be well worth it.

They spent their time in the garden talking before they had to get Esme ready for the party. Prime insisted he did not need to get ready. He was already impeccable every moment. Esme snickered at that and rolled her eyes. Prime smirked at that, delighted he had made her laugh. 

He left her at the wash room with a slight bow. He had work he could get done and they would meet back up before they were to leave for the planet. 

= 

Esme could never grow tired of this. She felt herself relax the moment she felt the warm, humid air on her fur. There were two of the clones already there waiting for her, bowing when they saw her. The one on the right smiled at her, a familiar warm smile. 

“It’s nice to see you again, Esme.”

She couldn’t help but smile back. She had hoped she would get the same two attendants as last time. She had become fond of them, even the surlier one, after spending so much time with them over those couple of days and their presence was a comforting familiarity. 

“It’s nice to see you two again, as well. I hope you haven’t gotten two bored without me around.” 

She was pleased to hear the friendly one chuckle at her joke. 

“We have plenty of work to do when not attending Lord Prime’s guests.” The surlier one said and she just nodded. It didn’t surprise her that he found no amusement in jokes. She wondered if, perhaps, anything could make him laugh or at least smile. 

It was nice to get the chance to talk to them again. She had to let the friendly one on how well his braid kept during the Exodus. He beamed at the praise, cheeks tinted a light green. It was cute, like a child delighted by a parents praise. While she washed she told them all about what she had been up to at home, how well everything was going, how much fun she had exploring the world beyond her village. She explained the best she could what each of the villages were like, how the people differed, the buildings, the stories and songs, on and on. They hung off her every word, even if the surlier one tried to hide it. 

“We’ve never left the Velvet Glove before.” The friendly one admitted to her as he brushed her hair while she soaked in the warm waters. His face was carefully blank though she could hear something in his voice. Longing, perhaps, or maybe even jealousy. “We’ve seen what the other planets are like, of course, but only through the memories of our brothers. We’ve never been anywhere ourselves.”

“But that’s fine.” The surlier one said, voice a bit too sharp, as if he was trying to convince himself just as much as his brother. “It is an honor to work so closely with Lorde Prime. We live to fulfill his wishes.”

The friendly one nodded, running his fingers through her hair to make sure he had gotten all the knots out. “Of course. Glory be to Horde Prime.” But she could tell he was still upset, and for good reason. She couldn’t imagine spending her whole life in these sterile halls, seeing nothing but the same faces and the white halls. She reached up and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, giving a friendly, reassuring chirp. He gave a gentle smile, squeezing back. 

She wasn’t entirely sure if it would be okay, but she knew she would need to say something to Prime about how he treated the clones. She knew she didn’t have the full picture of everything, but there was something very wrong here. Perhaps, now that they were friendlier with each other, Prime would listen to her, even about something as … important? Personal? As this. She would need to find time to talk to him.

Once the washing was done, it was time to get dressed. 

She had safely assumed that this party Prime had told her about was not the sort of event for casual attire and was looking forward to seeing what they had picked out for her. She had expected something in white, like the last dress she had worn last time, maybe with some black or Prime’s favorite acidic green. She may not have liked the color, but she could admit it fit his aesthetic well.

She was surprised when she saw the dress and it was, in fact, not white. The top was black and transitioned to a deep blue at the bottom of the full skirts. The top was strapless and backless, the fabric glistening in the light like there were stars caught in it, the sparkles growing lesser as it went down the skirts. It was quite heavy when she put it on but nothing she couldn’t handle, especially when it was just for the night and it did look amazing on her. There was a cape that went along with it, covering her shoulders and far up her neck with the same sparkling black fabric as her top, a thin black gossamer flowing around her arms and down to rest on the floor. 

She admired herself in the tall mirror while the friendly attendant fussed over her hair, trying to decide what to do with her hair. He pushed the strands this way and that, huffing and narrowing his eyes when he found the arrangement unsatisfactory and pulled everything back down to try again. 

“I have to ask.” She spoke up, quietly so as not to disrupt the friendly ones hard work. “Who designs these dresses? It’s truly beautiful.”

The surly attendant flicked an ear at her words. He was by her side, double checking that the dress fit around her waist properly. 

“I did.”

She looked shocked for a moment before smiling at him through the mirror. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he returned to his work. 

“You really have a talent. The dress is absolutely stunning. Did you design the white one I wore last time as well?”

“Yes.” 

“Thank you.”

She managed to catch the slightest quirk of his lips before he managed to hide it. She smirked but didn’t comment on it.

=

Prime was relieved when he got the signal through the hive mind that Esme was ready. He was struggling to stay focused on the work he had brought up on the fan-like screens, just reports from the various planets on the state of supplies and giving the orders for them to be taken where needed. It was dull work and he was more than happy to spend his time with his dear Esme instead, even if it was at one of those terrible stuffy parties full of fools trying too hard.

With the snap of his fingers the screens went dark. His chair turned and he pushed himself, making his way out of the room with quick steps. 

It was a talent of his to hide any unseemly emotions. It did him no good to have his enemies know his every thought written on the lines of his face. He never slipped up, was never caught unawares, never showed a thing.

None of that really mattered when faced with his Esme. 

How could he even think of schooling his face into the proper expression when his every thought was suddenly consumed by her. He had seen the dress before, of course. He had to give the okay on the design in order for it to be made for her, but that did nothing to prepare him for just how remarkable Esme looked in it. There were no words to properly describe just how perfect she was, though that didn’t stop his mind from trying. 

She looked like a goddess, one of the ethereal beings from her stories of beauty beyond perfection, beyond comprehension. Her eyes shined with stars like those in the dress. No, that wasn’t right, for her eyes shined even brighter than a star, brighter than the brightest light and he feared if he stared too long even his light would be burned away. Her hair was up, he duly noted, pulled back in a perfect collection of curls and knots on top of her head, bringing all his attention to her brilliant eyes and smile, as if he could even look away. 

Looking at her, resplendent and beyond perfect, he felt an overwhelming hunger deep inside himself. All he could think about was how badly he wanted her in his arms right this instance, feel her warmth and hear her laugh ringing in his ears. He wanted to worship her like she deserved, like no one else could, but remained rooted to the spot, held captive by her entrancing gaze. 

She walked to him, giggling at the stunned look on his face. She leaned in close, her sweet scent intoxicating, and ever so gently grabbed his chin to shut his mouth.

“You okay there, Prime?” she asked, an amused smirk playing at her lips. 

It took him a moment to catch his breath and attempt to gain some form of control over himself again. He nodded, unable to keep the smile off his face or control the green tinge that spread over his cheeks. That seemed to be enough for her. She nodded in return, shifting over to his side to wrap her arms around his. 

“Alright then, let’s head off!”

It wasn’t like he was capable of telling her no, so off they went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we have another chapter of just Prime struggling to handle emotions. 
> 
> Use the link for a picture of Esme in her dress! (I know her hair is up in the story but down in the picture, just ignore that)
> 
> https://hope170.tumblr.com/post/641355670595174400/my-spop-oc-esme-in-a-pretty-dress-enjoy


	11. A Proposal of Sorts

They didn’t enter the party together. Esme was insistent that they enter separately. As she explained it, she wanted to talk to the people there without them gleaning that they knew each other, that way they wouldn’t feel the need to hide any information from her. What information she wanted to obtain from them she would not say, just giving a smirk and changing the subject. 

It seemed rather suspicious, only a fool would think otherwise, but he liked to think he knew her a little better than he did. That time together during the Exodus was rather informative, after all. He knew there was still so much he didn’t know, he wasn’t sure he would ever fully understand her, but he knew enough now that he trusted she had no malicious intent. So, as curious as the choice was, he agreed to let her go off on her own.

He went in first. He was used to the staring, the looks of these lower beings as they beheld him, the Emperor of the Universe, the bringer of light. His entrance was announced by a booming voice, the hall instantly going silent save for the resonating click of his boots on the stone floor. He had brought four of his younger brothers, two splitting off into the crowd to observe and keep and eye out for any dangers. He strode across the hall to the far end, every move precise and graceful, pure confidence befitting a god. He sat on the throne, a large thing that looked to be chiseled from a single piece of black stone and draped with fine white fabric and cushions, the two brothers left stood on either side. He smirked at the crowd still staring at him in awe and wonder, crossing his legs and giving a wave of his hand.

At his command, the party continued. Conversation rose up and the music began and he sat over it all, looking down upon those below him. 

It was a few more minutes of other, far less important, guests were announced and walked in, creatures from different planets across this galaxy. He was sure Esme would be delighted to see them all. She so loved to see new things, which was why he had invited her here in the first place. It was not just for his own entertainment, though that was a pleasant bonus. He wanted to show her what was out there, what she could see if she chose to accept his offer.

Finally, he was gifted with Esme’s presence once more. 

It made sense that such simple creatures as those in the hall would barely turn their heads when she entered. To them, she was just another politician, another ambassador of some unheard of planet that held little importance to them. He understood their lack of a reaction, but at the same time it seemed utterly ridiculous when he could not look away. 

Even from this distance, he could see her eyes go wide, her smile brilliant as she took in the hall and the creatures within.The hall itself was massive, with a high arching ceiling, two layers of balconies on either side where more creatures lounged and spoke with each other. Everything was decorated with stunning sparkling lights and flowing fabrics that caught with every slight breeze. 

She stood out as she walked through the crowd. He was often distracted by some royalty or dignitaries wishing to earn his good will with cunning words and trickery. He had grown used to such behaviour and saw right through them all, simply dismissing them with a few careful words and a wave of his hand. Then he could catch sight of her in an instant, speaking with another small group adamantly. He would watch her for a moment, face carefully blank so as not to reveal the fond smile that tugged at his lips.

It was, of course, of utmost importance that he give nothing that could potentially be used against him. As absolute as his rule was, there were still those who wished to see him be dethroned. If they knew of his fondness for the dear Ambassador while she was not under his protection then they could very well use her against him in some way. He would never dare put her in such a stressful situation, as much as he knew she could handle it. She could still potentially be harmed and he would not allow such a thing. So, he kept the smile off his face, at least for now. 

That didn’t mean he had to keep her eyes off her. He wasn’t sure he could if he wanted to. She was in her element here, amongst these people. She had them hanging off her every word when she spoke, had them spilling their secrets in an instant. She laughed when she needed to, listened when that was necessary, and acted the part of the friendly companion perfectly. It was truly remarkable, how easy it came to her, like walking or breathing. It was simply second nature for her to work these people, to bend them to her will without a second thought, leaving them completely unaware. Perhaps she wasn’t even aware she was manipulating them so. It came so naturally to her, it wouldn’t surprise him.

He made sure that his brothers in the crowd kept an eye on her as well.

He rarely spent too much time deep in the hivemind when at these sort of events. There were too many others here, any one of which could be a potential enemy. It would be unsafe to have his attention so divided. Still, he could dip into the minds of his nearby brothers for short periods, not enough to take control but enough to feel their thoughts in his mind, and get the impression that things were going well. At the very least nothing had come up.

It was some time later when she finally had her fill of the crowd and returned to his side. He waved off the royalty he had been listening to, some sort of rodent like creatures, when she had walked up, sitting on the wide armrest of his throne with a little giggle, a sound like the purest of bells. 

“Are you having fun, my light?” He could no longer keep the fond smile of his face, but that was fine. She was safe by his side. 

She nodded, unable to control her own delighted smile.

“This was a perfect idea!” She nearly squealed, causing him to chuckle. “Just look at all those people! They’re all so … different! They live such unique and interesting lives. So many different stories and cultures, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to learn them all!” 

She shined so brightly with joy and happiness he couldn’t look at her or he may go blind. So, he looked at the crowd instead, trying to see what she saw. But, try as he might, he could see nothing but pitiful creatures, conniving little things fighting through life in search of some form of importance in the cosmos, unaware of how insignificant they really are.

Esme saw things differently. He could see it clearly on her face. When she looked at the crowd she saw each individual as if they were their own world of knowledge, their own collection of stories waiting to be told. 

This new understanding of her only made him fall further into his emotions. He could feel the familiar warmth blooming in his chest once more, his hearts skipping a beat when he took in her joy. 

“I’m delighted you are enjoying yourself.” He finally said, resting a hand on her waist to steady her. He could see the skirts were making it difficult for her to balance properly. 

She turned to him, a devious sort of smirk on her face. 

“I learned a lot about you, too.”

He raised a brow at that, giving his own sharp smirk, eyes glinting with amusement.

“Is that so?”

She giggled again, making his smile widen.

“Of course. When you hear about someone from others then you learn about a part of them they themself might be blind to. It helps to get the whole picture of who they are.”

“And what did you learn?”

Her smile faded slightly, replaced with a thoughtful look. She sat further back on the armrest, leaning back against the throne. Like this, he had to look up to her. It was the perfect angle to admire the way the lights played on the fur of her face and arms. 

“Not anything I hadn’t already suspected.” She finally said, staring off at nothing in particular. She seemed hesitant to speak her mind, ears lowered and unable to look at him. He squeezed her waist gently, letting out a thrum of encouragement. He wanted to know, had to know what she thought of him. He knew whatever she said, he couldn’t get angry at her words. He knew how remarkable she was, how well she knew people. He trusted that whatever she said it would no doubt hold at least a grain of truth. 

She seemed reassured, at least slightly, though she still wouldn’t look at him. She sighed.

“Please, promise me you won’t get angry if I say something you don’t like. If you really want to have a proper relationship with me, then we need to be able to talk openly about everything, including each other's faults.”

His hearts skipped a beat and for a moment he couldn’t form thoughts. He wanted so badly to have a relationship with her, to keep her by his side, to see that smile and talk to her every day. If this is what she wanted in a relationship, then that’s what he would do. He nodded, unable to take his eyes off her.

“I understand. Please, tell me.”

She looked to him, still looking rather hesitant. He gave an encouraging smile, thrumming again. That managed to cause a smile to tug on her lips. She looked back out over the crowd. 

He felt the concern of his brothers at her words. Was she really going to speak such blasphemy about Lord Prime? Did she dare speak ill of his perfect divinity? He reassured them, blanketing them in his presence, warm and benevolent. He sent them away to wander the crowd with their brothers and withdrew, drawing himself out of the hivemind, at least for this conversation. He couldn’t completely remove himself, his presence remained above them all, but his thoughts were well hidden. 

“Alright.” She paused, ear twitching as she thought her words out, always so careful. “First, you are so incredibly narcissistic it’s kind of ridiculous.” She smiled when she said it, shaking her head slightly. “You think so little of everyone around you, like you’re some sort of god or something. But you’re not. You’re the emperor of the known universe, sure, but you're still a living being, aren’t you?”

She looked to him when she asked that, genuine curiosity in her deep brown eyes. He tilted his head, face carefully blank. She could feel her heartbeat terribly fast in her chest, the anxiety rising the longer he stayed silent. Eventually, he nodded.

“No, I’m not a god.” He admitted. Now it was his turn to refuse to look at her. She certainly wasn’t holding back now, was she? 

When it was clear he wasn’t going to say more, she continued. 

“I think, because of that, you have a really big problem with empathy. I don’t have a doubt that you can easily tell what other people are feeling, but you can’t share those feelings. Which, in turn, leads to others viewing you as cold and uncaring. That makes sense, right?”  
He nodded again.

“And this is an issue for you?”

She shrugged. 

“Kind of? I think it matters how you treat people. If you struggle to empathize and you think you’re better than everyone else, then you aren’t going to treat people right. You know how I think. If people are treated right then they’ll be more likely to like you and if they like you then they’ll cause less problems. The fewer the problems, the easier your job can be in the long run.”

She swung her legs idly, bumping the side of the throne as she continued. He smirked at the rather adorable action.

“And this is just my opinion, but I think it’s pretty important for someone to be able to admit when they aren’t perfect and try to do what they can to change for the better. For example, I have trouble trusting others, but I’m trying to be better at that. I’m trying to trust that atlas guy and that’s worked out so far. And I tried trusting you.” She smiled, soft and warm, forcing him to smile as well, fondness swelling in his chest. “Look where that led us.”

He always tried his best to keep a certain image when he was in the public’s eye. He was the Emperor, calm, collected, seemingly perfect, a god-figure to the masses. There were certain things he simply did not do if he wanted to keep that image intact. He tried to control himself, he really did. It took everything inside of him not to drag her into his lap and wrap his arms around her, purring away as he held her close and never let her go. He felt like his chest was going to burst. Thankfully, he managed to control himself enough not to make a scene, only letting out a delighted chirp, chest rumbling with a near silent purr, one only Esme could hear. He rested his forehead, eyes closed, content to leave their contact at that. 

“Are you sure you’re not perfect?” He said, voice low so as not to reveal how warm and affectionate his voice had gotten.

Esme laughed, loud and brilliant and perfect. He couldn’t even bring himself to care anymore if it drew the attention of others. What did it matter what they thought of him, how they perceived him, when his whole universe, his only light, was by his side, happy and laughing because of something he had said, something he had done. 

“Nobody’s perfect.” She finally said once the laughter had calmed down, a soft hand brushing across his cheek. “That’s what makes life interesting. If everyone was perfect then they’d all be the same. What’s the fun in that?” 

His purr deepened, unconsciously leaning into her touch slightly. They stayed like that for a moment before he pulled away, sitting straight once more. He spotted a few people in the crowd staring, but they were quick to look away. 

“I … can try to change, if that’s what you wish. Your reasoning is sound. But I have a request, as well.”

She smiled down at him, giving him her undivided attention. Things had fallen into place so well, better than he could have imagined. It was the perfect moment.

“If I’m going to change then it only makes sense that someone stands by my side to point me in the right direction.” He smirked as he said it, amused by the realization dawning on her face. Of course she would put it together so quickly. She was far too intelligent not to. He let go of her waist, holding her hands in his and capturing her gaze. 

“Stay with me, my light. Stand by my side as my adviser. I cannot stand to be without you. Maybe your worries are right. Maybe these feelings will simply fade away, but if that is so, then let us enjoy the time we have.” A clawed thumb gently skimmed over the fur of his hand, just for a moment as he thought through his next words. “I won’t ask for a relationship. I understand your reason for not wanting a mate and I will respect that decision. So, as my one and only friend, stay with me.”

There was a pause, an intense look in his gleaming eyes, not quite desperation, but not confidence either. It was a vulnerable look that did not match his superior and collected image he was so fond of projecting. 

“Please.”

For a moment Esme didn’t respond, looking down at their clasped hands. She squeezed them, the softest, warmest smile he had seen yet gracing her lips. 

“You had this planned the whole time, didn’t you?” Her voice was so quiet, brimming with a sort of fondness, a fondness for him. It felt like his hearts stopped. 

“Perhaps.”

There was another pause, broken by her soft chuckle. She leaned forward, resting his forehead on his, such an intimate gesture. He closed his eyes, his purr rising once more at the contact with his perfect light. 

“You’re truly remarkable, Prime.” She finally said with a sigh. “If I had known when we first met you would turn into such a softy.” She chuckled again, shaking her ever so slightly. 

“... Alright.”

His eyes snapped open, his head pulling away slightly to look into her eyes, burning with a warmth he could never match. She smiled wider.

“I’ll do it. I’ll be your adviser, since you asked so nicely.” 

Never before had Horde Prime’s cheeks hurt from smiling before. He supposed there was a first for everything. He laughed, not a chuckle, a genuine laugh, as quiet as it was, full of the purest delight. He rest his head against hers again, the closest he would get to a kiss. He felt so light, like he was floating in his own universe, revolving around her and only her, his light, his everything.

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, this was so hard to write. Whenever I write intense emotions like here, I always end up feeling them to some extent. I just had to keep getting up and just walk around squealing before I could sit down again.
> 
> Horde Prime anytime Esme does, like, anything:
> 
> Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique -
> 
> Yeah, he's got it bad. I did not intend to have him go this hard, and yet, here we are. He even said please and thank you! I hope you enjoy!


	12. A Different Perspective

Things were different since the Ambassador joined them on a more permanent basis. 

His brother and himself were now her constant attendants, by her side every moment to take care of whatever needs she had. His brother was delighted by this, he could tell. He had always been one of the worst at containing his emotions. It was a surprise that Prime hadn’t had him disposed of sooner for such emotional outbursts. But now it seemed that did not matter. Their guest clearly had a fondness for him, and their Lord had a fondness for her. If she enjoyed his presence, then Prime would allow it. At the very least he turned a blind eye.

And, for some reason he could not fathom, their guest had a fondness for him as well. 

It was a blessing to be allowed to serve her, he knew. It was pressed onto him from the hivemind, from his brothers, from Lord Prime himself. He was honored to be by her side, to find favor in her eyes.

He found that, despite it all, he cared little for her. He did not hate her, none of his brothers did. Lord Prime’s affection often bled through the hivemind, leaving an impression of the feeling in each one of their minds. None of them could hate her. That did not mean he had to be as fond as the others. She knew of his feelings on the matter, she had made that clear. She had also made it clear on several occasions that she still liked him. 

That’s why he was allowed to stay by her side, just like his brother. She liked them, so Lord Prime had them stay with her. 

That also meant he found himself in Lord Prime’s glorious presence more and more. 

He was not supposed to, but he could not do much else when the two were together but listen to whatever they spoke of. It was either that or stand there, thinking of nothing and doing nothing, and that was something he just could not do.

Besides, Lord Prime and Esme’s conversations were often very interesting.

“A quarantine? That’s it?” Esme asked, voice only slightly tinged with bafflement.

“You believe more should be done?” Lord Prime’s voice was, in turn, amused. It seemed the Ambassador amused him often. 

“Yes. They’re sick and clearly their own medicine cannot handle this plague. It seems to me that it should be studied in an attempt to find a cure. The people would see you as a hero for healing them and you can stop any future outbreaks, or even prevent them entirely.”

Honestly, he was a bit surprised Lord Prime actually took her words into consideration, staring at the fan-like screens in deep thought. They showed images of the planet in question, terrible images of the sick and dying, bodies piling up. It would be dangerous to send anyone to such an infected planet. It would be simpler and safer to quarantine it, as their Lord suggested, to allow the pathogen to die out on its own. Or, safer yet, they could burn it in cleansing fire and rid themselves of the infection in an instant. But no, instead this … this creature wanted to send his brothers to that cesspit, dooming them to a similar fate as the locals. 

In an instant he felt the burning rage of the Lord press down on him, silencing his treacherous thoughts. 

_ How dare you think of her like that! _

Lord Prime’s voice burst in his head, pushing past his own thoughts as if they were trash, unfitting to even come close to his light. Those holy and knowing eyes were on him, blazing with the same fire that scorched through him, perfect in its absolution. He cowered before the wrath of his god, ears lowered, begging for forgiveness in his mind even as his voice failed him.

Esme noticed quickly, glancing at Prime, then over to the shaking clone, before resting a hand on the exalted’s arm. 

“What has he done to cause such a reaction?” She questioned, voice comforting yet confused. Of course she wouldn’t know. She was not Prime. She could never measure up to his glory, his radiance, his perfection. She was not all seeing or all knowing like him. These were all simple facts, and yet these thoughts only seemed to bring forth more of that burning rage.

“He thought of you as no more than a creature.” His god sneered down at him. If given the option, he would prefer to be disposed of right then, ended and thrown away, just so he wouldn’t have to face that fury any longer. He fell to his knees, bowing low until his nose ridge touched the floor. 

“Please, my Lord, forgive me!”

There was a pause where he heard nothing, then footsteps, but they were not the hard taps of Lord Prime’s boots. These footsteps were the soft padding he had grown so familiar with. 

“That is rather unkind, I can’t deny that.” Came Esme’s warm voice, surprisingly kind considering the dreadful sin he has committed. “Why would you think that? What were you thinking before that?”

It took him a moment to find his voice and when he did it came out as hardly more than a whisper. 

“I was concerned for my brother's safety. If they went down to that planet … Please, forgive me. I should not have thought ill of you.”

The rage burning in his mind still pressed in on him, but lessened slightly at his show of penance. He waited with baited breath to hear what his punishment would be for this blunder. 

“This is unacceptable!” The voice of Lord Prime boomed through the room, though he had hardly raised his voice.

“It’s reasonable for him to worry about his brother’s. I understand that. I still don’t appreciate being thought of as a creature. Perhaps you could let me handle his punishment? Don’t let him distract us.”

There was a pause. He could hear only the fast beating of his hearts in the silence. Finally, the rage subsided, leaving him gasping in relief. His Lord sighed, still irritated but turning his attention away from his fallen little brother.

“Very well, my light. You are the one he has wronged. Punish him as you see fit.”

“But later, after we have figured this out. Is there a way we could send down bots to somehow get a sample of the disease to work on a cure?”

He stopped listening. That had only gotten him in trouble, after all. Better not to bring forth Lord Prime’s righteous anger again. His brothers, the ones who were so blessed to attend their god himself, distanced themselves from him, their minds blocked off from him. All the hive mind was distant. No one would want to associate with him now.

Accept for his brother next to him. He did not move, showed no sign of shifting from his position, but his mind enveloped his in a form of comfort, radiating peace. It helped calm him and he let his appreciation be known, but it did nothing to stop the guilt building in his chest. She wasn’t even considering sending any of his brothers, was she? He had rushed to a conclusion and thought ill of her because of it. That would not stand. He told himself he would not think so rashly again.

Lord Prime spent some time yet discussing these matters with Esme, eventually agreeing with her idea of developing a cure. These people could yet be brought further into his light if he helped them. After that had been decided, she excused herself to rest for a short period before it was meal time once more. He allowed her to go with an affectionate smile, squeezing her hand before letting go. 

He walked in perfect time with his brother, each on either side of the Ambassador. He felt his guilt like a weight in his chest. When they reached her room he waited to see what she would do with him.

He watched her closely as she stretched, the white cloth of her dress swirling as she turned to the bed and nestled into her nest of blankets. Before long she had fallen asleep and no punishment was given.

This should have held some sort of relief. Instead, he felt a lump in his throat as his anxiety grew. He knew a punishment was coming, she had already confirmed that. When did she plan on acting it out? There was no way of knowing her will. Perhaps she would wait until he had thought himself safe, thought that nothing would come, then catch him unawares. Perhaps he was so unimportant to her that such things concerning him did not matter above her own rest and care. He truly did not know, these thoughts leaving his mind a jumble of confusion and anxiety.

His brother attempted to comfort him again, flashing a soft, sympathetic smile from across the room. His mind brushed against his distressed brother’s thoughts, radiating peace and comfort and gradually his body began to relax, even if his mind would not follow suit.

Let him suffer through these thoughts. It was only what he deserved.

=

It was after their meal, when the Ambassador had returned to her rooms once more. She had not panned on sleeping right away, as she mumbled her plans to herself, not when she had just taken that nap too long ago. That was fine, she had plenty of other things she could do. Work things, mostly, but she didn’t want to work right now. So, when they got to the room, she took out the little book she often wrote in and sat in a chair.

His brother and himself stayed nearby, ready to help at the slightest hint that assistance was needed. His brother attempted to start a conversation a few times, but nothing stuck. He was not going to risk it. He would not face Lord Prime’s fury again. He could not afford the slightest misstep, even if his brother did look rather disappointed. 

His thoughts were blessedly interrupted by a sound, high pitched and piercing, not loud but enough to get someone's attention. 

Before the other two could react, he snatched the pad from the bedside table and handed it to Esme in her chair.

“Thank you, dear.” She said, flashing him her signature smile. He simply nodded and returned to his spot as she answered the call.

“ESME!”

The voice was loud, making all of them flinch. She lowered the volume a bit.

“Hi, Tilly. What’re you up to?”

“Just ready to update you! I can’t believe all the nonsense going on down here. You remember that guy, Jaren, right?”

He was quick to block out the conversation. Esme’s talks with her friend were hardly ever interesting. Mostly gossip. She didn’t seem to enjoy the conversation much, either, but she still dutifully listened, nodding and adding her own thoughts when necessary. 

Though he had little interest in the conversation, it seemed that Lord Prime did.

He stiffened when he felt the familiar presence in his mind, not taking over, just using him to listen. He … had not expected such a thing. Not because Prime had never done this before. He would often use her attendants to keep an eye on her when he was bored or curious, but never took control. Apparently, she had once voiced her dislike of him doing that sort of thing unnecessarily, so he refrained from doing so when around her. No, his presence was not a surprise. What did surprise him was that his Lord would use  _ him _ after the incident earlier that day. He would expect Lord Prime would use his brother instead.

He was surprised, but he was not about to question his Lord’s decision. Warm approval washed over him, Prime’s light blessing him. He was right, to follow his god’s wishes, to see that he had been wrong before.

That’s why Lord Prime came to him now. To see his thoughts once more, to make sure they had been corrected. 

He was nudged to pay attention to the conversation now, so he did.

“... but everything turned out alright in the end. We actually have some really great medicine now, thanks to your ‘dear friend’.”

Esme rolled her eyes at the way she said friend, but chose not to say anything about it right now.

“Good. Can you imagine what we can do when people aren’t dying from stupid nonsense?”

“I know! And you know what?” There was a pause, as if Tilly expected her to to actually answer the question. “You can look into that ‘family curse’ of yours.”

Esme sighed, like it was a silly suggestion or something of the like, but Lord Prime perked up, giving all his attention now. The attendant wondered what this curse was to catch his Lord’s attention in such a way.

“Really? You’re bringing this up now?” Esme huffed.

“Obviously, we were on the topic of health and medicine! Come on, the worst that can happen? You know what to expect?”

“No, the worst that can happen is that I die.”

“Yeah, but that wouldn’t be caused by looking into it, would it?” 

“Tilly, I’m not doing this right now.” Esme was frowning now, looking very irritated, but her friend was either not picking up on it or simply didn’t care.

“Which is exactly why we should be doing it! You shouldn’t avoid it just because you don’t want to think about it. What happens if, say, you're doing your super important job you’ve got and you suddenly drop dead with no warning?”

“Please, stop.” 

“No, your health is important!” Tilly was starting to sound rather angry, and she only got angrier as she went on. “Do you have any idea how much it sucks to know that your best friend could die at any moment for no reason and there’s nothing you can do about it? And now that you could maybe even prevent it altogether, you’re not even going to try!”

“That’s not what I said! I just said not right now.”

“If not right now then when? You can’t do much after you’re dead!”

Esme didn’t respond. She just shut the pad off, clutching it close to her chest and curling into herself, taking deep, even breaths, like she was calming herself down.

He shared a glance with his brother, the other holding a look of deep worry. This talk of death was clearly not sitting well with him. It wasn’t sitting well with any of them, by the look of things. 

Esme finally sighed, managing to uncurl herself enough to get up, slowly walk across the room to put her book and pad away. She paused there, looking like she was lost deep in thought. Then, motions still slow, she looked up to her attendants, making his brother tense.

“Prime was listening, wasn’t he?”

His brother glanced to him again, doing his very best not to actually react to anything but not doing a very good job. He ignored him and simply nodded. She nodded back, looking back down.

“We’ll discuss this later, when I wake up. Right now, I’m tired.”

She settled into her nest once more and her attendants left the room to let her sleep. Only then did Lord Prime depart from his mind, leaving a tension he could not rid himself of. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was a long one. Shit goes down and next chapter is going to be tuff.


	13. An Uncomfortable Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, some medical stuff in this chapter. Esme gets some blood drawn. If you don't like that, you can skip this chapter.

Esme stayed in bed longer than she usually did. Even when she had woken, she did not leave her nest. Horde Prime knew why, of course, and he was not going to push her. She would get up when she was ready and he would be patient.

That did not mean he had to be happy about it.

He knew, of course, that there was so much about her he still had to learn, but something like this? This supposed curse seemed so important. Why wouldn’t she just tell him about it, especially once they had started working so closely together? 

He had felt angry before, plenty of times, there were many things worthy of his righteous anger, but this was the first time he had ever felt angry at his Esme. 

He waited in the throne room as patient as he could. The only sign of his growing anger and tension was the flexing of his hand, curling it into a fist and uncurling as he stared intently at the fan of screens. It was just busy work, easy things that could be done without truly thinking it over, but that was all he could do. He simply could not focus enough for anything else.

Finally, there was a signal through the hivemind. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He would not take his anger out on her. He would not allow himself to lash out due to these petty emotions. 

Once his mind had calmed, he turned sharply on his heel, marched out of the room and through the maze of halls. By the time he reached Esme’s room, she was ready. He could see her through her attendants eyes, moving slowly, reluctantly, as she adjusted her skirts and sighed.

“Alright, let’s get this over with.”

It was only then that he knocked on her door, waiting patiently for her to open it.

She looked up at him, no smile to be seen on her face or in his eyes. In an instant all the anger he had felt was washed away, replaced with only worry. He looked down at her with the softest look he could manage, one that would reassure her in some way. A clawed hand reached out between them and she placed her hand in it, allowing him to lead her away. Her hand was enveloped by his so easily, so small. 

He had never thought of her as weak, not once. He knew how incredibly strong she was, how radiant, but he had nearly forgotten that she was still a mortal creature like any other. She was not a goddess, not a star, not really. She could still grow old, fall ill, and die like all of them. 

It was not a fate he would allow for her. A star as brilliant as her should never fade.

They walked in silence for some time.

“... were you ever going to tell me?” His voice was quiet when he spoke, gentle. He would not condemn her for not sharing this information with him, as angry as he had been. He realized that anything concerning her health was … personal. As much as he would want to know all about it, all about her, he could not force her to share such things.

He watched her with his extra eyes, keeping the main pair focused on the hall in front of them. She kept her face turned down, watching the ground as it passed beneath their feet. 

“Yes, eventually. It … it’s not something I like to think about. I thought that it did not matter, not yet at least.”

There was a pause, the only sound their own footsteps.

“What is this ‘family curse’? Will you tell me about it now?”

She nodded, but took some time before actually speaking up.

“It’s not an actual curse, of course. I don’t believe in that sort of nonsense.” He gave a nod. “My family just happens to have a history of dying young. Usually, my people can live about a hundred, a hundred ten years. My mother died when she was only thirty six. My grandmother died at forty two, her father at twenty nine.” Her voice was hollow, emotionless. He hated it. It made that spot in his chest, the one that usually filled with warmth, feel empty and cold. “I can’t begin to count how many brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, all died because of this before they even had a chance to begin living.”

She stopped talking, taking a deep breath.

“I should have told you, I know I should have. It’s … difficult to talk about. Everyone I’ve lost … and knowing one day whatever this is would take me too. It’s not something I think about. But that’s unfair to you. I’m sorry.”

He stopped walking, catching her by surprise. She finally looked back up to him, confused, but he couldn’t do the same. 

“I was angry at you.” He admitted. “But I couldn’t stay angry. Let’s not focus on what should have been done and focus instead on what we should do now.” He turned to her, eyes burning and face like stone. “I’m not going to lose you.”

She was caught off guard by that gaze, taking several long moments to form words. Even then all she could manage was a small “Okay.”

Then they were moving again, his hand still clutching hers firmly and dragging her along. He was not about to let go, not if he didn’t have to.

As loath as he was to admit it, he was afraid. Afraid of losing her, whether it be today, tomorrow, some unforeseen amount of years in the future, it didn’t matter. And though he insisted to himself that this was all based on logic, she couldn’t do her job if she was dead, he knew deep down he was letting these emotions get the better of him. He didn’t care. This was a simple problem, one he could easily find a solution for. It didn’t matter what the reasoning behind finding that solution was.

They spent the rest of the walk in silence, which was just fine for him. He had nothing else to say to her, at least nothing else she would want to hear. He was sure he could go on for lifetimes discussing any number of things with her, but now was not the time. 

They stopped only when they reached the medbay, or at least the closest thing the Velvet Glove had to a medbay. Such things were not usually needed. His brothers rarely if ever fell ill or became injured enough to need medical attention. Those who did either ended up falling in battle or were disposed of. It was a waste of resources to try and fix them when they could just be replaced. He was not about to let Esme know that. He knew she wouldn’t approve. Still, instances did happen where it was necessary to have use of a medbay. So, there were a few rooms available to be used for whatever was necessary, stocked with whatever supplies they may need.

A door opened with a hiss, the room beyond just as sterile white as everywhere else. Esme walks in without a word, sitting at one of the chairs at the back wall. 

“Well? What’re we going to do now?”

He let out a thrum. He wasn’t quite sure himself, not exactly.

“Run some tests. Find out what this ‘curse’ is.”

She snickered at the way he said curse and he smirked. That was better. No more frowning, thinking of such depressing things as death and all she lost. He would fix this, and she could go back to her usual self. Though, even while frowning, he couldn’t escape how beautiful she was. 

“Tell me, my star, what are the signs of this affliction? Is there anything you can tell me?”

She was silent as she thought and he waited. He had other business, going through the cabinets, collecting what would be necessary for blood tests. It was the best place to start, he thought. And sure, he could have one of his brothers handle busy work like this. It wasn’t really complicated, collecting the blood sample. Anyone could do it and have it delivered to the lab to be analyzed, but … it didn’t seem right, to let someone else do it. Besides, it meant he could also talk to Esme, decide on whatever tests he might need to conduct, get an idea what he was dealing with.

Finally, Esme sighed.

“I don’t know. When Mama … she didn’t seem any different, right before. I wasn’t there when it happened. It was described to me like she just passed out, stopped breathing, and was just … gone.”

Prime paused what he was doing, brows furrowed in thought. 

“It was sudden?”

“Yes.”

There were a million different things it could have been. He pried for more, but no information she had was enough to narrow it down. He would need more tests, learn as much about her biology as possible. There was plenty of information already collected from others on her planet. He would have to look through the medical records, compare them to whatever he found in her. It would take some time, but that was fine. He had all the time he needed.

But Esme didn’t. 

He would have to do this quickly then.

She was frowning again when he turned around, eyeing the needle he had prepared. He supposed she would never have had to deal with such things before. He softened up at the realization. Poor thing. 

He snapped his fingers and a panel slid out of the wall next to where Esme was sitting. She jolted at the sudden movement, but was quick to calm once more. She glared at him, but he just smirked, walking across the room to set everything up on the make-shift table. He sat on the other side, across from her, and extended a hand to her. Her eyes darted between that hand and his eyes, softer than she had ever seen them, even during the Exodus. No words were shared. They weren’t needed. 

She nodded, placing her hand in his. He gave a little, reassuring smile, thumb rubbing the back of her hand, soothing. Gently, he stretched her arm out over the table, not letting go of her hand even as he ran his other hand up her arm, feeling for a vein. It was a bit difficult but thankfully the fur on the underside of her arm was thinner than the rest, just enough to make it possible. He worked with deft hands preparing the sight, getting it clean. He was not going to let her get sick of something as ridiculous as an infection. 

“This will be uncomfortable.” 

She let out a dry chuckle.

“More uncomfortable than this morning so far?”

He chuckled as well, shaking his head.

“Perhaps not that bad.”

Her frown deepened when he tied the band around her upper arm.

“I know, my light, this won’t take long. Just squeeze my hand and look at me.”

She did so, dark eyes trained on his. She winced when the needle went in, but not in pain. With a flick of his wrist the band was severed.

“Now relax.” He said, voice like silk, calming and smooth. He rubbed his thumb over her palm, encouraging her to ease her hold on him. Her eyes never left his and he could see the relief take over once the band was removed. Quickly, he connected one of the several test tubes to the needle, watching closely as it filled with her blood, his secondary eyes holding her gaze. It seemed to calm her, to keep eye contact, so that’s what he did. 

“You’re right.” She said. “That was uncomfortable, but it didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. Still, I’m not looking forward to doing this again.

He gave a short purr, squeezing her hand a little. 

“I understand. We will have to do other tests, as well, but those can wait until after you eat.”

“Yes please, I’d love some fruit right now.” She agreed with her own purr, far more relaxed now that her anxiety had calmed. They still had a long day ahead of them, so to speak. There were no days on the Velvet Glove, but Esme insisted on keeping with a similar schedule and described things in such terms. 

Once the last tube had been filled he removed the needle, pressing a piece of gauze onto the sight. Esme sighed in relief, finally allowing herself to look away from him and to her arm instead. She squeezed his hand, attempting to convey her gratitude. 

“So, more tests, huh?”

He smirked. 

“I promise, none of those involve needles.”

“Thank goodness.”

Once he was sure the bleeding had stopped he got up and left her side, just long enough to throw away the gauze and needle, then returned to help her to her feet. She didn’t need it, of course, but he still offered and she still accepted. 

“To breakfast, then?”

She smiled, the first genuine one of the day. 

“Yes, please.”

He smiled back and they walked out of the room, side by side. He had one of his brothers pick up the samples and deliver them to the lab. They can get started with those while the other tests were done.

He would figure this out. Nothing would take his light away, not now, not ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments, they really help!


	14. Restless Thoughts

Esme was in a rather foul mood when the familiar high pitched tone went off. She sighed, putting her notebook down and leaning her head back against the chair. Her brow furrowed and she let out a little whine, but held her hand out for the pad regardless. She highly doubted ignoring a call from Tilly was going to end well. She couldn’t ignore her for long, might as well get it over with.

Her attendant looked hesitant, but fetched it for her regardless. Clearly not even those two were looking forward to this conversation. She gave him a grateful smile. At least they had some sympathy.

She sighed again, rubbing at her forehead, before finally answering.

“I’m really upset with you right now.”

Esme was the first to speak, catching Tilly by surprise. The pad showed a video of the other woman, so Esme could see the range of emotions that flew across her face. Her eyes grew wide, then her brow furrowed in confusion before her face lit up.

“So you looked into the curse? That’s great! What did you find?!”

Esme groaned, dropping her face into her hand. She really didn’t want to talk about this, but then again, that’s what got her in this mess in the first place.

“Tilly, I’m serious. You had no right to go spouting on about my medical history like that.” Though she wasn’t looking, she could almost sense the other woman’s cringe. “Do you really think I wasn’t going to tell him myself? Of course I was. I needed time to think about it, to put together what I was going to say to ask for help properly. Instead, you just had to start yelling.”

At the very least she had the sense to look apologetic.

“I’m sorry, love, but I have no way of knowing that. So, what did you figure out?” And just like that she had waved off the whole issue. Esme hated it when she did this, but in the end she knew she was well meaning. She was just looking out for her. That didn’t mean Esme had to be happy about it. 

“Nothing. We only just finished with today’s tests. It’ll be some time before there’s any conclusive results.” Esme could feel the scowl settle on her face, as much as she wanted to remain positive, or at least pretend she was fine. “Please. I know you mean well, but I’ve just gone through a rather hellish day. I’m exhausted and I just don’t have the energy for this today.”

Tilly pouted, but ultimately gave in with a sigh.

“You’re always tired! But fine, I’ll just call back in a couple of days, okay?”

Esme nodded and ended the call before Tilly could get distracted and start rambling off about something irrelevant. 

Slowly, she put the pad down, right next to her notebook on the side table. She stared at the two, losing herself in her thoughts.

She hadn’t actually planned on telling anyone anything about this stupid family curse. Not because she thought she was exempt from whatever this condition ended up being, but because she knew it would be the end of her. She did not like thinking about how she would die. Before, there had been nothing that could be done and agonizing over something that couldn’t be changed seemed pointless. So, she ignored it, lived her life in the moment and simply did not look too far into the future. Her friends understood and accepted that much about her.

When she had first met Horde Prime, she hadn’t expected to know him long enough, or to actually care enough, for it to become an issue. Not to mention she had stayed in the one mindset for so long, it was still hard to imagine that not only was there something she could do about it now, but she could potentially rid herself of whatever this is forever. She could actually grow old and life a full life. She wasn’t even sure what that looked like, what it meant for her. 

Would she just do this forever? She had been working with Prime for several months now, four or five she thought, and she had enjoyed it quite a bit. There was so much to see! She had learned so much about the universe, about the people and cultures. It had been so much fun, despite the stress that came with dealing with Prime and how he led everything. 

She had learned a lot about him and not everything was good. He had lost himself, she thought, had been twisted by time and power. Little seemed to affect him. With a snap of his fingers, he could destroy a planet, along with everyone on it, just because he decided he wasn’t fond of how one of the residents looked at him once. He thought differently, simply didn’t care about the same things that a normal being would. It should have put her off, should have made her want to leave and go home, far away from him. But it didn’t. 

Even if she wanted to leave, she couldn’t. She owed it not just to her own people, but to everyone else in existence, to guide Prime away from his more destructive tendencies. She didn’t know why he had become so infatuated with her, but that did little to change the fact that he was and that she was in the unique position of having him listen to her advice. It didn’t matter how off putting or terrifying he got. There was more at stake here then her own feelings or life. It was her responsibility to stay.

Besides, she wasn’t entirely sure she would want to leave. She knew how distant and uncaring Prime could be, and she knew this infatuation would fade given time and that cold uncaring would apply to her as well. She knew that, but … 

He had been kind to her. He cared for her now, even if it wouldn’t stay. She had heard his laugh, seen his smile, the genuine ones he only ever seemed to share with her. They had shared so many conversations about nothing, conversations about everything. She knew him now. And every time she thought about the moments they’ve spent together, that smile that was only for him, she couldn’t help but feel a warmth, one that made her heart skip a beat. No one had ever done that before. 

If these tests came back and they found out what was wrong with her, what had been wrong with everyone who had come before her, then she had a full life ahead of her. She could imagine a future and what she wanted from that future.

And she wanted Horde Prime to be there.

She heard more than saw her attendants shift, straightening, and in the distance the familiar sound of booted footsteps. As if just thinking about him had summoned him, Horde Prime appeared in the doorway, smiling that smile that made her heart flip.

She smiled softly up at him, but didn’t get up from her spot in her chair. She had not been kidding when she told Tilly she was tired. Under normal circumstances she was exceptionally tired at the end of every day, only getting worse as time passed. Today, after having to go through test after test, being poked, prodded, scanned, nonstop, she was dead exhausted. 

Not that she needed to. Prime swept over ever graceful, kneeling by her side in a moment. 

“How are you feeling, my light?” He purred, daring only to rest his hand over hers on the arm rest. Just another way he showed his kindness. He respected her and never pushed her. 

She hummed, leaning her forehead against his, making him purr deep in his chest. It was the most perfect sound.

“I’m tired, but I’ll be fine.” She mumbled, eyes sliding closed. “I should probably go to bed soon.”

“A bit earlier than usual.” He noted, voice quiet and soft. She hummed again, tail twitching.

“Like I said, I’m tired.”

His purr faded and he pulled away, taking away what little warmth she felt from the contact. She blinked up at him.

“Very well, my star. I just wanted to check up on you. I know today has been rough.” His smile was so soft and he ran a hand through her hair, claws smoothly passing through the dark strands. She started purring, eyes half-lidded as she leaned into the touch. He chuckled.

“I also needed to tell you, I’ll be holding an audience tomorrow with the king of one of our mining planets. I plan on entertaining him over dinner. You don’t have to come if you don’t wish to, but I thought you would be interested.”

“Of course I am.” She snorted, making him smirk. “You know I love that sort of stuff.”

He let out a thrum of acknowledgment, leaning in to, ever so gently, place a kiss on her forehead. It was just an intimate action, one that brought a heat to her cheeks and made her ear twitch. Her purring grew louder, only slightly, but based on the growing smirk on his face, he could hear it. 

“Rest up, then, and I’ll see you in the morning.” 

She nodded as he pulled away from her, rising to his feet and leaving, the door hissing close behind him.

She stayed still in her spot, trying to pull herself out of her slightly flustered state. She frowned, the warmth in her chest fading into irritation at herself for reacting in such a way. 

Damn it. She had fallen for him, hadn’t she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> she's just so stubborn man, it's about time she figured that much out. 
> 
> Please, if you like the story, leave a comment! I thrive off of even the silliest little comments


	15. Dinner with the Little King

Horde Prime rarely held audiences. No one was considered worthy enough of his attention, to bask in his light so directly like that. But, occasionally, it did some good to handle these sorts of things directly. 

Besides, after such a horrid day, Esme deserved something to look forward to. 

He hated seeing her so tired, listless, not herself. 

Once the time came for their dinner, she was shining once more, smile so bright he could see nothing else. He informed her of the planet this king came from, a mining planet that he had control of for quite some time now, longer than most other planets in his Empire. It was rich with metals of all sorts, most of which was used in the construction of the bots and ships and stations.

“Sounds like a pretty important planet. What do you think he wants?” She looked up at him from her spot by her side, arms wrapped around his. Her touch sent waves of warmth through him, but he refused to comment on it. He definitely wasn’t about to make her let go.

Prime thought a moment before responding.

“I suspect the planet may have run out of mineable material. It has been bringing less and less. Perhaps this king wishes to beg for his planet.”

“... dare I ask what you do to planet’s that are no longer useful?”

Prime didn’t answer at first. He didn’t want to. He knew she wouldn’t approve of his methods, no matter how essential he believed them to be. He smirked at himself. It was amazing how important her opinion had become. It was unbecoming of a god to care about such matters. But then, she was a goddess herself. Wasn’t it only right that her thoughts were considered just as important as his?

“I had a habit of … burning those planets. They were too much of a drain on resources to keep.”

Just as he thought, Esme disapproved. He could see it in the way her face contorted in a mix of disgust and sorrow. He sighed.

“I … see now that this was wrong of me. Perhaps you can help me discover a better option.”

She stared at the ground as it passed below their feet before nodding, smiling back up at him.

“Of course I will. I’m … glad you’re willing to listen to me. You’re trying so hard to change, aren’t you?”

His ear twitched when he saw her face soften, a look he was not familiar with in her eyes. He knew it was foolish to let his emotions get the better of him. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from hoping, his chest swelling with pride. He nodded.

They paused when they reached the doorway to the dining hall, still out of sight from whoever waited for them beyond. He watched Esme closely as she straightened herself out, smoothing the wrinkles out of the skirts of her dress.

He usually paid little attention to what she wore. Nothing could outshine her own natural beauty, the sparkle of stars in her eyes, the warmth of her radiant smile, but he had to admit, this dress looked amazing on her. It was a rather simple thing, silken white fabric that brought out the color of her fur and accentuated her curves perfectly. The skirts were just fitting enough to give a hint of the shape of her legs, hidden by the silk. Her hair was down today, running over her shoulders so perfectly. He didn’t think he would ever get enough of looking at her, absorbing every bit of her unearthly beauty. He almost hated to allow anyone else to see her. This sight should be his and his alone. Another part of him, a much stronger part, just wanted to show her off, to let the rest of existence know her perfection and grace. 

“Are you ready, my light?”

She nodded, radiating so much excitement he couldn’t help but smile. 

=

The king fidgeted in his chair, glancing around nervously at the titans that surrounded him, watching him with blank expressions. He had been waiting for what felt like eons but really it couldn’t have been a few minutes. It must have just been his anxiety getting the better of him. 

He had been surprised when he had received notice that his audience with Horde Prime was approved.  _ The  _ Horde Prime, Emperor of the Galaxy, Reagent of the Seven Heavens, the most powerful man in existence! He had expected his request to be denied, or even simply ignored. His request had been a last resort, a vain attempt to argue on his people’s behalf. He had to. It was his duty as king, whether he believed it would work or not. He needed to do this at least, even if it meant his death.

He straightened instinctively when he heard the footsteps approaching, turning to see perfection itself enter the room. This was truly what a god looked like, larger than life, every movement graceful and precise. He had thought the soldiers were picturesque, but Prime was even more so, radiating a power he never had the hope to match. His people were not powerful or large or worth much, in the long run, and being in the same room as Him only made that more evident.

His fourfold gaze was on the king in an instant, an unreadable smirk on his face, sharp and perfect, as he crossed the room. An agonizing moment later he finally looked away, sharing a glance with the creature who followed behind him.

It was only then that he noticed she was there. Once he did he wondered how it was possible to not notice her. She was just as much a titan as all the others with a grace to match. Where Horde Prime was sharp and menacing, she was soft, ethereal, warm. She was beautiful, but not in the same way Prime and his brothers were. There was some familiarity in her soft fur and eyes, something more natural to him and his people. She did not bring him the same fear the Emperor did. 

He wondered why she was here. What purpose did she serve?

“Ah, there you are, your highness. I trust your travels went well?” Horde Prime spoke first as the two sat at the end of the table, the woman on his right hand side. He bowed his head, staring at the table in front of him. 

“Yes. Thank you, your eminence.” His voice seemed so small and weak in comparison, it made him cringe. 

“Excellent. Now, why don’t you enlighten us as to why you’re here.”

He tried to swallow down the fear and anxiety that bubbled up his throat, but it did little good. When he looked up, Prime’s eyes met his, cold and emotionless. He struggled to find the appropriate words to best convey what he was feeling, but all that ended up happening was him staring for far too long. He tried to look away, to snap back into his thoughts, but then he got caught in the woman’s eyes. She smiled, just a little one, but the sight was encouraging. He took a deep breath.

“Ah, well … As I’m sure you noticed, our shipments have been diminishing recently. I have my suspicions that our planet is running out of resources and must wonder … that is to say, I believe it would be prudent if I discussed with you …” He caught the woman’s eyes again. He felt so vulnerable under gaze, a lesser being faced with something far beyond himself. And yet, she only gave him a comforting look, as if she saw his weakness and chose to be compassionate. “I want to know what will become of my people.”

The two shared a look, one he could not fully read. When they turned to stare back at him Prime wore an amused smirk and excitement flashed in the woman’s eyes. He gulped, trying not to fidget. 

“This is something I have considered.” Prime admitted. “Originally, I had planned on purging the planet once it had run dry.” 

The words sent a shiver down his spine, one he knew he didn’t hide as well as he hoped. It was what he feared. Everyone knew when planets were no longer useful to Prime, he didn’t just throw them to the side. He had a fondness for destruction, to show off his might at any given chance. 

“However,” The king jumped when Prime spoke up. “It has been brought to my attention that I should consider other options.” 

He gaped rather undignified, but he couldn’t help it. This was .. amazing! More than he could hope for, especially when he thought Prime wouldn’t even see him.

“I - Thank you, my Lord!”

The woman giggled at his flustered state, making his face heat up, but she was not mocking him. It was more like a sound of delight. It was a beautiful sound, and based on the way Horde Prime looked at her, he felt the same. It only lasted a moment, but he could have sworn the emperor’s face softened as he watched her, a more sincere smile on his face. But again, it was only a moment, half a second, before his eyes returned to their cold emotionless state. It was entirely possible that the king had just imagined it. That seemed far more likely.

“Now, what to do with your planet and your people.”

=

It was not difficult. Horde Prime hardly needed to speak after that. Esme’s own excitement and curiosity led the conversation as she questioned the king about every little thing on his planet and about his people. He couldn’t have done better searching for that information if he had tried. Nothing could match her once she got started. 

By the end of the meal, he had heard all he needed to know.

“I suggest you go rest, you’re highness.” He said, watching the little creature as he practically shrunk under his gaze. Pitiful little thing, really, but he was willing to overlook it this time, at the very least because Esme would not like it if he put the creature out of its misery. “I will inform you what will be done tomorrow.”

With a silent command his brothers escorted the king away to whatever room he had been given. It hardly mattered which, they were all the same. Esme watched him intently as he went before turning to him, eyes bright and a smile on her face.

“He’s so little!” She squealed before managing to calm herself at least a little. It took her a bit of time and several deep breaths before she could put a straight face back on. He watched her with an amused smirk. “Okay, so, what do you want to do? I take it you have already decided.”

His smirk widened slightly and he nodded. 

“The planet has been damaged quite a bit by the mining. It won’t hold any use as any sort of farmland. Perhaps it would work well as a trading port.”

“That sounds fine to me.” Esme said with a shrug. “That allows for plenty of new job opportunities to replace the ones being taken away. There’s already plenty of ships coming and going, so it won’t be too much of a change. I’m sure our little king will be happy with that.” She giggled, making him chuckle. 

He wasn’t sure why it amused her so much, that this creature was so little. It was just something else about her, just another little thing, that endeared her so much to him.

Then those warm eyes met his and his hearts skipped a beat. Her gaze was affectionate in a way it had never been before and his chest burst with warmth and affection of his own.

“Thank you. I know it’s not as easy, finding another use for the place and rearranging everything and getting everything set up. It means a lot that you’re willing to go through it all, that you actually listen to me and care about what I think.” 

She leaned closer as she spoke, resting her hand against his. He already knew how soft her touch was. It wasn’t the first time she held his hand, after all. Still, he found himself marveling at the softness once again, a softness that had been so foreign to him not that long ago but one he couldn’t imagine living without. Not anymore. 

He wanted to pull her close, surround her with his arms and feel her warmth against him, but he restrained himself. He was not going to force such things on her, not when there was even the smallest chance she would not be okay with that sort of affection. That didn’t mean he couldn’t lean in closer, his face softening and a deep, rumbling purr starting in his chest. 

“Of course, my light.” He said, voice quiet and soft. “I would do anything to make you happy.”

That seemed to please her. She looked up at him with such deep affection, her smile so gentle. He could feel the warmth in his cheeks but couldn’t bring himself to care, not when there were more important things to pay attention to, like the way her purr sounded or the warmth of her head now resting against his shoulder. She was close enough for him to bury his face in her hair and take in her sweet scent. For a while, they stayed like that, so close and yet not quite close enough to fill the need he had. But that was fine, he told himself. He was not going to rush her, no matter how much he wanted to hold her. 

Finally, she spoke again, words muffled slightly by his shoulder.

“... I think I’m starting to fall in love with you.”

In that moment, existence shifted, like the ground had moved beneath him and put him off-balance. It felt like, before, everything had been wrong but he hadn’t even noticed, and now everything was right. He couldn’t contain himself even if he wanted to. In an instant he had his arms wrapped around her, dragging her over to sit in his lap. He buried his face into the crook of her neck, his purr so incredibly loud. She purred back, melting into his arms, hands curled ever so gently against his chest. He didn’t want to let her go and, at the time at least, it seemed that she was perfectly fine with that.

“Does that mean … ?”

He didn’t dare finish the question. It seemed too good to be true after having to force himself to keep these emotions in check for these months, after telling himself time and time again he just had to wait for them to fade, that it meant nothing and she did not care for him the same way he did for her. But the chance that, perhaps, she did feel the same, that they could have that relationship he craved more than he ever thought he could? He couldn’t bear having that hope torn away, not now, but he also had to know if this hope was for nothing.

“... maybe?” She finally answered, voice a bit shaky. “I don’t think I can control myself like you can, but … how can I be sure it won’t end like my parents? I… I don’t think I could take it. I don’t want you to hate me.”

He sighed and pulled away, looking deep into her watery eyes. He could see every emotion plain on her face, worry and sorrow mixing with affection and love. He wanted to comfort her, to wipe these worries away and fill her with nothing but happiness. He knew that was not completely possible, but he still had to say something.

“I can’t guarantee anything.” He started, gently caressing her cheek. She leaned into his touch, looking up at him desperately. “But I can promise you that everything in my power to love you as long as I can, to bring you nothing but happiness and peace. I’m not sure I’d ever be able to feel anything but love for you, my light, my love, my everything. It’s up to you what you choose, but whatever it is, I’ll respect it and be here for you.”

Her face relaxed and she turned her head to the side to give a kiss to the palm of his hand. While she thought he ran his other hand through her hair just like the night before. He could feel his hearts beating so fast in his chest, the anticipation squeezing terribly. He felt like he could feel apart at any moment.

Finally, what seemed like an eternity later, she looked back up at him. The worry wasn’t completely gone, but she was smiling again. For a moment, everything seemed to stop. He couldn’t breath. She was his everything. Nothing else mattered or existed. 

“You really are amazing, you know that? More than I could ever hope for.” She paused a moment then sighed, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder once more and her tail to wrap around his leg. “Alright. Let’s … test it out. I’ll give in for now, but if there’s any sign that things are starting to go bad -”

“Then I’ll let you go.”

And he wasn’t really sure he believed his own words. He wasn’t sure he could ever let her go, but he told himself that didn’t matter. In the end, he would do anything for her, to keep her happy and safe, even if that meant he would be left alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hm, didn't really intend for things to go they way the did. This got away from me, but oh well. I hope you enjoy!


End file.
